Prairie Power Announces Plans for Two Solar Electric Production Facilities

(THE PRAIRIE POWER PROJECT INVOLVES TWO 500kW SOLAR INSTALLATIONS SIMILAR TO THIS ONE BUILT BY ONE OF ITS DISTRIBUTION COOPERATIVE OWNERS ILLINOIS RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE IN WINCHESTER, IL)

Prairie Power, Inc., an electric generation and transmission cooperative headquartered in Springfield, IL, has announced plans to build, own and operate two 500 kW solar electric production facilities. When completed the two solar farms will produce enough electricity to supply 1,500 families every day.

“Our consumers own us,” said Prairie Power’s President and CEO Jay Bartlett. “These consumer members are best served by us having a diverse electricity resource supply portfolio. Our consumer members have expressed an interest in renewable resources such as wind and solar generation. We are working to fulfill their desire.”

Prairie Power, Inc. is the supplier of bulk electricity supply and electric highline transmission services to 10 member-owned electric distribution cooperatives in central Illinois. Prairie Power, Inc. already owns wind generation at a facility located just east of Paxton, IL. Electric cooperatives in Illinois are self-governed, member-owned enterprises with the member-owners sitting on each board of directors of the cooperatives.

One of the solar farms will be built near Shelby Electric Cooperative headquartered in Shelbyville, IL. President and CEO Jim Coleman said, “We hear directly the desires of our members because they govern us and speak to us through our board of directors. That’s exactly why this solar generation project is being done.” Shelby Electric provides electricity distribution service to nearly 10,000 members.

The other 500 kW solar electricity facility will be located near Canton, IL where Spoon River Electric Cooperative provides electricity distribution service to nearly 5,000 members. Spoon River Electric President and CEO Bill Dodds said, “Anyone wanting to take a look at our solar electricity generation facilities is welcome to contact us. We believe these solar facilities will be a fine addition to the Prairie Power, Inc. power supply portfolio.”

Construction will conclude later this summer. After that all of the nearly 80,000 consumer members of the 10 Prairie Power, Inc. member cooperatives will be able to sign up to purchase electricity directly from these solar projects. There will also be a website where anyone can go to see how much electricity these solar and wind generation projects are producing. Visit the Prairie Power, Inc. website at www.ppi.coop

In addition to Shelby Electric Cooperative and Spoon River Electric Cooperative, Prairie Power, Inc. provides wholesale electricity to Adams Electric Cooperative, Camp Point; Coles-Moultrie Electric Cooperative, Mattoon; Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative, Paxton; Illinois Rural Electric Cooperative, Winchester; Jo-Carroll Energy, Elizabeth; McDonough Power Cooperative, Macomb; Menard Electric Cooperative, Petersburg; and Western Illinois Electrical Coop., Carthage.

Prairie Power, Inc. is a member of Touchstone Energy — an alliance of 750 local, consumer-owned electric utilities around the country.