Geronimo Power has officially begun construction on its 150-megawatt Bee Hollow solar project in St. Clair County, located within the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) market in Illinois. This development, part of the company’s broader U.S. expansion strategy, represents a direct economic investment of $54mn (EUR51.1mn) in the host region.
Expected local economic impact
According to figures released by the company, the Bee Hollow project will generate $17mn (EUR16.1mn) in new tax revenue over 20 years, to be distributed across the county, school districts, and municipalities. Additionally, a dedicated charitable fund—separate from the project’s tax contributions—will be made available to the community, in line with similar initiatives run by Geronimo Power. The Minneapolis-based company states this approach aims to secure lasting local integration of its infrastructure.
Construction has been awarded to Burns & McDonnell, a national engineering and construction firm, which will create up to 200 jobs during the building phase. The project is also backed by a power purchase agreement signed with the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency (IMEA), a public entity representing municipal energy suppliers in the state.
Public-private cooperation framework
The collaboration between Geronimo Power and IMEA marks a significant step in the agency’s efforts to diversify its energy mix, according to its president and CEO. This project currently stands as the agency’s largest solar energy investment. IMEA stated it aims to strengthen grid resilience while maintaining affordable procurement costs.
Scheduled to enter operation by late 2026, Bee Hollow is expected to produce the equivalent of the annual electricity consumption of approximately 45,600 homes. Additionally, based on the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s emissions equivalency calculator, the project could reduce annual carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions by 219,100 metric tons—the equivalent of removing over 51,000 cars from the road for one year.
