$500M Kelso Solar Project breaks ground in Missouri

Building has began on Arevon Energy’s Kelso 1 & 2 solar projects in Scott County, Missouri, in line with a Could 1 information launch from the Scottsdale, Arizona-based renewable vitality developer.

The $500 million, 430-megawatt undertaking is Arevon’s first utility-scale renewable vitality undertaking in Missouri. The renewable vitality arm of Primoris Providers Corp., a Dallas-headquartered utility and vitality contractor, is constructing each phases, per the discharge. Arevon will personal and function the amenities. 

The undertaking will make use of greater than 450 employees throughout peak building, primarily sourced from native areas, in line with the discharge. Final 12 months Arevon signed a long-term purchase agreement with Meta for the Kelso Photo voltaic Challenge that may present its operations within the area with 100% renewable vitality.

“Kelso Photo voltaic marks Arevon’s entrance into Missouri and when operational, will enhance the state’s put in photo voltaic capability by nearly 50 %. This main undertaking furthers Arevon’s rising presence within the Midwest area of the USA, which is a precedence marketplace for our firm’s improvement actions,” mentioned Arevon CEO Kevin Smith within the launch.

Arevon is increasing its presence within the Midwest, in line with the discharge. The agency is presently setting up 4 different photo voltaic initiatives totaling 744 megawatts in Indiana with capital prices of greater than $1.1 billion.

The primary section of the undertaking is anticipated to start out operations within the fourth quarter of 2025, with the second section following shortly after in Q1 2026, Arevon mentioned.

U.S.-generated renewable vitality has tripled previously decade and many of the states with the biggest increases in solar, wind and geothermal vitality manufacturing are within the South and Republican-led, in line with The Guardian. Nonetheless, the outlook for the photo voltaic trade has turn out to be clouded by Trump administration insurance policies concentrating on renewables and boosting fossil fuels, in addition to uncertainty over the way forward for clear vitality tax credit.