RWE commissions Emily Solar, a 273.6 MW project in Clark and Cumberland Counties, reaching a 1 GW operating energy capacity milestone in Illinois.
RWE commissioned its Emily Solar project on May 12, 2026, in Clark and Cumberland Counties, Illinois, simultaneously crossing the 1 gigawatt (GW) threshold of operating energy capacity in the state. The installation has a capacity of 273.6 megawatts (MW) and was developed and owned by RWE, then built by Blattner. The commissioning reflects the pace of solar deployment in Illinois amid growing electricity demand. The US renewable energy market continues to evolve, as illustrated by Renewable America’s recent sale of 33 MWdc of solar capacity and 31 MWh of storage in California.
RWE’s Illinois portfolio now comprises two solar projects and three wind farms. Together, these facilities produce, according to the company, enough electricity to power hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses across the state. RWE says it has operated in Illinois for 15 years, steadily expanding its footprint to meet local energy needs. Large-scale photovoltaic projects require advanced technical solutions, as demonstrated by the SCADA deployment on Scatec’s 225 MWac Grootfontein project in South Africa.
Emily Solar generated approximately 400 jobs at peak construction, according to RWE. The ribbon-cutting ceremony brought together local officials, union representatives, landowners and teams from RWE and Blattner. Hanson Wood, Chief Development Officer of RWE Americas, described reaching the 1 GW threshold as “an important milestone for RWE and for the communities we serve.”
Over the project’s lifetime, Emily Solar is expected to generate approximately $30 million in property tax revenues for Clark and Cumberland Counties, according to RWE’s projections. These funds are intended to support local public services, including schools, roads and emergency services. On the sidelines of the inauguration, RWE announced a $15,000 donation to Casey Youth Soccer, a local sports association active in the Casey area.
Tony Burchill, Director of Solar Construction at Blattner, highlighted the community dimension of the project and respect for ongoing land use. Joe Riley, President of LiUNA Local 159 — a local chapter of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) — and Downstate Illinois LECET Director, said the project had opened pathways to union trades for local workers not yet part of a union. The company did not disclose the total investment cost of Emily Solar.
RWE has operated in the state for 15 years and says it has steadily expanded its presence to meet growing electricity demand. The group did not specify the capacity of its second solar project, nor the respective capacities of its three wind farms in Illinois. Emily Solar remains the only installation whose installed capacity has been officially disclosed in RWE’s Illinois portfolio to date.
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