Clearway Launches Construction of 650 MW Solar Project in the U.S.

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 7, renewable energy developer Clearway Energy Group announced the financial close of $1.5 billion and officially commenced on-site construction of the Swan Energy Center in northwestern Bates County, Missouri. The project has a planned installed capacity of 650 MW, making it Clearway's first large-scale solar project in Missouri and a core component of the 1.2 GW solar and energy storage portfolio it announced earlier this year.

The Swan Energy Center is sited on degraded land previously used for strip mining, achieving green reuse of brownfield resources. The project utilizes high-efficiency solar modules and single-axis tracking systems predominantly manufactured in the United States, paired with a domestically supplied Tesla 2-hour energy storage system (with a capacity of 398 MWh). Engineering construction is managed by general contractor Blattner Energy, with an estimated peak of approximately 500 local jobs created during construction.

In terms of financing and commercialization, Clearway assembled an international banking consortium led by CIBC, DNB Bank ASA, and NAB to provide financing support. The project has signed a 20-year long-term power purchase agreement (PPA), with the electricity generated directly injected into the regional grid, expected to provide clean power to approximately 200,000 households annually. The listed entity Clearway Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CWEN) has committed to making an equity investment after the project achieves commercial operation in 2028.

Additionally, Clearway reached a 30-year payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement with Bates County, expected to contribute more than $80 million in new fiscal revenue to local schools and public services over the project's full lifecycle. To mitigate ecological impact, the project will also plant native vegetation and pollinator-friendly plants across a large area of the site, improving soil drainage and quality while providing habitat for pollinators such as monarch butterflies.