Savion, LLC announced the sale of Wood County Solar Project and Richland County Solar Project to Alliant Energy. The two parties executed contracts under which Savion will continue development activities, and Alliant Energy will acquire the projects when regulatory approvals and other contractual commitments are complete. 

Wood County Solar Project, LLC and Richland County Solar Project, LLC are to be acquired by Alliant Energy who will construct and operate both facilities currently under development by Savion. The combined solar energy installations will produce 200 MW of electricity, enough to power approximately 55,000 Wisconsin homes, and will contribute to Alliant’s goal to build 1,000 MW of solar projects in Wisconsin by 2023.  

This announcement is included in a six-county, 675 MW solar announcement made by Alliant Energy today in Wisconsin. Once operational, the energy from the six projects will be enough to power 175,000 homes per year. This is part of the company’s Clean Energy Blueprint: its roadmap to accelerate renewable energy while reducing carbon emissions. 

“We look forward to working with Savion and Wood and Richland counties as project development continues toward construction,” stated Ben Lipari, director of resource development at Alliant Energy. “The future of renewable energy in Wisconsin is bright. These projects are investments in communities where we have a long history of partnership, supporting customers, and furthering economic growth. Our solar projects initiate significant local revenue, establish reliable income for landowners, and create new, local construction jobs.”  

The 150 MW Wood County Solar Project will be located in the town of Saratoga, about seven miles south of Wisconsin Rapids, and is estimated to have a footprint of 1,200 acres. Richland County Solar Project is 50 MW with an approximate footprint of 500 acres and is located west of Madison in southwest Wisconsin. Both projects are expected to begin construction in 2021, with estimated completion in late 2022. During construction, both projects will create hundreds of jobs in their respective counties. In addition to economic boosts to local economies during the construction phase, increased revenue from the solar facilities allow local governments to invest in community development.  

“It’s been an honor working with the Wood County and Richland County communities to help make the economic development opportunities become a reality for these two outstanding regions,” said Drew Gibbons, senior development director for Savion. “We’ve been able to reach this important milestone thanks to the support and insight of the local officials, community stakeholders, landowners, and Alliant Energy. We will continue to work with the local communities to ensure the projects are developed responsibly, and we look forward to having Alliant join us for this next phase of development.”   

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Update – July 22, 2021: Richland County Solar Project (re-named Bear Creek Solar) is now officially owned by Alliant Energy. More about this transition can be found here.

Update – July 12, 2021: With final approval from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW), ownership of Wood County Solar Project officially transitions to Alliant Energy. Read more here.