Lee County ZBA to consider special use permit for 600-megawatt solar farm

STEWARD – Developers for what could be the largest solar facility in Illinois are set to come before the Lee County Zoning Board of Appeals in February regarding the project’s second phase.

Hexagon Energy LLC, a Virginia-based company doing business in Illinois as Steward Creek Solar LLC, is seeking a special use permit from Lee County to build Phase 2 of a 1,200-megawatt commercial solar energy facility in Alto and Willow Creek townships.

“Phase 2 will produce enough clean energy to power approximately 116,300 homes and generate approximately $3.9 million in annual local tax revenue, totaling approximately $87 million over the 35-year project term,” according to Hexagon Energy’s special use permit application.

Phases 1 and 2 of Steward Creek each are designed to produce 600 megawatts – Phase 2 also includes a 150-megawatt battery energy storage system – and together will cover about 9,000 acres, according to the application.

The project boundaries are Ogle County to the north, DeKalb County to the east, U.S. Route 30 to the south and Interstate 39 to the west.

According to the Solar Energy Industries Association’s website, the largest solar farm in Illinois is Double Black Diamond, which is under construction but expected to come online this year. It’s located 30 miles west of Springfield and will produce 593 megawatts, enough to power more than 100,000 homes.

“If both Phase 1 and Phase 2 are constructed, [Steward Creek] has the potential to be the largest solar energy facility in Illinois,” Lee County Zoning Administrator Alice Henkel said. “Unfortunately, just because a project is approved for a special use permit does not guarantee it will be built. Additionally, with the PJM delays, we don’t expect to see construction on Steward Creek for another two to three years should Phase 2 be approved by the county for a special use permit.”

In the meantime, there’s a chance a larger project could come to the state, she said.

PJM is a “neutral, regulated organization that directs the operation of power lines and generators for many different owners,” ensuring fair access to the flow of electricity for competing suppliers and users, according to www.learn.PJM.com.

Projects can’t be built in Lee County without first acquiring an interconnection agreement with PJM, Henkel said.

On Nov. 19, 2020, Lee County Board members granted Hexagon Energy a special use permit for Phase 1.

Phase 1 construction has not yet started, Henkel said. Hexagon Energy doesn’t plan to start building until after Phase 2 is approved, so they only have to mobilize one construction crew, she said.

During the construction phase, an estimated 730 jobs would be created, according to Hexagon’s permit application. During the project’s ongoing operational phase, five permanent full-time jobs would be created.

“The project would provide approximately $240 million in associated labor income and $264 million in economic output during its construction phase,” according to the application.

The Lee County ZBA has scheduled public hearings for the Steward Creek project at 6 p.m. Feb. 20 and 28. The ZBA meets in the third-floor boardroom of the Old Lee County Courthouse, 112 E. Second St., Dixon.

Interested parties also can attend the meetings via Zoom.