Plum Valley Solar

EARTHRISE ENERGY

Earthrise Energy is an independent power producer with a mission of adding new sources of clean energy to the grid faster than ever before. Earthrise acquires, owns, and operates existing power plants and leverages their transmission infrastructure to accelerate renewable energy development, bringing projects online 2-3x faster than typical “greenfield” solar development. Earthrise owns and operates 1.7 GW of natural gas-fired peaking plants and is planning 1.5 GW of complimentary solar projects across the Midwest.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Earthrise’s Plum Valley Solar project represents over 260 MW of proposed solar energy in Will County. Plum Valley Solar will be on land leased and/or purchased from private landowners and located near Earthrise Energy’s natural gas plant in Crete. This project will leverage the existing transmission infrastructure at the Crete Energy Venture facility in Crete to connect to the electric grid, adding complimentary power generation, producing electricity when the natural gas plant does not. Combined with Pride of the Prairie Solar, these two projects will generate enough electricity to power approximately 50,000 homes.

PLUM VALLEY OVERVIEW

Capacity at Point of Interconnection 260 MWac
Location Village of Crete, Townships of Crete, Monee, Will and Washington
Point of Interconnection Crete Energy Venture 41.43, -87.62
Commercial Operation Date 2028
Anticipated Project Life 35-50 Years
Regional Transmission Operator PJM
Setbacks from Solar Array (at least) Adjacent Residences – 150’
Adjacent Property Lines – 50’
Public Rights of Way – 50'

PLUM VALLEY PROJECT AREA

By the numbers

Plum Valley Solar will generate an estimated

$2.3 million

New Tax Proceeds to Local Taxing Bodies in the First Year of Operations

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS, FIRST YEAR BREAKDOWN

  • Will County: $135,002
  • Joliet Junior College: $2,432
  • Prairie State College: $89,203
  • Monee Township Funds: $20,560
  • Crete Township Funds: $12,648
  • Washington Township Funds: $11,259
  • Will Township Funds: $1,719
  • Village of Crete: $40,028
  • Will Township Roads Funds: $3,548
  • Crete Township Road Funds (1): $20,506
  • Crete Township Road Funds (2): $6,149
  • Monee Township Road Funds: $30,315
  • Washington Township Road Funds: $32,007
  • Village of Crete Road & Bridge: $5,314
  • Monee Fire District: $88,492
  • Crete Fire District: $48,474
  • Beecher Fire District: $62,272
  • Beecher Public Library: $10,937
  • Crete Public Library: $34,901
  • Peotone Public Library: $2,321
  • Crete Park District: $8,653
  • Forest Preserve: $22,933
  • Community Mental Health Board: $6,901

EMPLOYMENT

Plum Valley Solar will be 100% union built. Earthrise Energy’s prospective general contractor has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the IBEW, IUOW, and LIUNA unions.
Plum Valley Solar will generate significant employment opportunities during construction and commercial operations.

Construction Operations
Direct 301 4.5
Indirect 271 19.2
Induced 366 21.4
Total 938 45.1

TIMELINE

2025

APPLY FOR SPECIAL USE PERMITS

2026

RECEIVE PERMIT APPROVALS

2026

CONSTRUCTION BEGINS

2028

PROJECTS BECOME OPERATIONAL

ENVIRONMENTAL, SITE INVESTIGATION, AND AVOIDANCE

Earthrise Energy prioritizes environmental stewardship through comprehensive studies and mitigation. Field investigations inform the design of the facility, minimizing impact on wetlands, archaeological sites, habitats, and other sensitive areas. Earthrise ensures there are cover crops, thorough drain tile mapping, and other remediation techniques to maintain proper drainage throughout the project.

WETLAND AND STREAM DELINEATION

1. Site plans will avoid impacts to jurisdictional wetlands and bodies of wate.r
2. Final engineering and building permit plans will prioritize avoidance.

THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES REVIEW

1. Project design will minimize habitat impacts.
2. There will be no impact to listed Federal or State rare species.

CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY

1. Archaeologically and historically sensitive areas are being surveyed and studied.
2. Archaeological evaluations are underway with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).

DRAIN TILE

1. Earthrise is working with landowners and drainage consultants to locate, and map drain tiles in the project area.
2. Earthrise will avoid, reroute, or repair drain tile to maintain proper drainage.

Construction for the Plum Valley Solar project is anticipated to last 18-24 months. Earthrise will coordinate closely with local jurisdictions to keep the public informed.

CONSTRUCTION PROCESS

1

Land Preparation & Roadwork
Plant cover crops, construct access roads, laydown yards, and fencing.

2

Electrical Installation
Lay cables to collect the electricity generated by the solar panels. Install inverters on pile foundations.

3

Pile Installation
Drive piles (steel l-beams) to provide a structural base to support the array.

4

Tracker & Panel Installation
Mount the tracker system on the piles, install and wire solar panels onto the racking system.

5

Commissioning
Inspect, test and certify equipment before operations. Complete restoration work, including repair of public roads.

Construction for the Plum Valley Solar project is anticipated to last 18-24 months. Earthrise will coordinate closely with local jurisdictions to keep the public informed.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Earthrise Energy is registered as a Public Benefit Limited Liability Company (PBLLC), which means that we align our goals with the long-term needs of all our stakeholders. We strive to be active and engaged in our communities through our RISE Grant giving, workforce development programs, scholarships, and event sponsorships. Earthrise has financially supported organizations like The Nature Foundation of Will County, ShareFest of Will County, United Way of Will County, Crete Park Pals, The Crete Emergency Management Agency, and many more. Earthrise has awarded scholarships to both Joliet Junior College and Governors State University. In addition, Earthrise is active in multiple chambers of commerce and has sponsored a wide variety of local events.