The 240-megawatt project will invest $230 million locally and create hundreds of construction jobs
June 12, 2025 - Invenergy, North America’s largest privately held developer, owner, and operator of clean, reliable and affordable energy solutions, today announced the start of construction on the 240-megawatt Pleasant Prairie Solar Energy Center in Franklin County, Ohio.
Located in Galloway, Ohio, just outside Columbus, Pleasant Prairie Solar Energy Center represents an expected $230 million investment in Franklin County over the life of the project, through new tax revenue and lease payments. Pleasant Prairie has also partnered with Ohio State University’s Battelle Center for Science, Engineering and Public Policy to contribute to the education of the next generation of energy leaders.
Construction on the facility will continue through early 2027 when Pleasant Prairie Solar is expected to begin commercial operations. Invenergy has partnered with Blattner, the country’s leader in renewable energy engineering, procurement and construction, on the project’s construction. Pleasant Prairie Solar is expected to create up to 300 good-paying jobs during peak construction and employ 3 permanent staff once operational.
Pleasant Prairie will be powered by American-made solar panels produced at Illuminate USA, an advanced solar panel manufacturing company majority-owned by Invenergy, located in Pataskala, Ohio. Illuminate USA panels are also being used at other Invenergy solar facilities in Ohio, including Hardin III Solar, already in operation, and Cadence Solar, currently under construction.
“We are excited to break ground on the Pleasant Prairie Solar Energy Center,” said Mick Baird, Chief Development Officer at Invenergy. “Pleasant Prairie represents our commitment, along with project landowners and our partners in Franklin County, the Pleasant and Prairie Townships, Illuminate USA, and Blattner, to meet growing demand with domestic energy and strengthen U.S. energy independence.”
"High-quality solar manufacturing is thriving in Ohio, thanks to our team in Pataskala and projects like Pleasant Prairie which put our panels to work across the region,” said Brittany Rogers, Chief Human Resources Office at Illuminate USA. “We’re proud that panels made by our associates will help power local communities and support our state’s energy future.”
Invenergy celebrated this milestone with a groundbreaking event at the project site on June 10th. The event included remarks from Invenergy’s Mick Baird, project landowner Squire Galbreath, and Brittany Rogers from Illuminate USA. A reception was held after the groundbreaking at the Darby House, located on the historical Darby Dan Farm, near the Pleasant Prairie project site.
Pleasant Prairie Solar Energy Center is part of Invenergy’s growing solar portfolio in Ohio, investing more than $17.5 million statewide annually. To date, Invenergy has developed more than 1,000 megawatts in generation capacity in Ohio, enough to power 198,000 homes, through three solar facilities in operation and one facility in construction.
About Invenergy
Invenergy is accelerating cleaner, more reliable, affordable energy. Invenergy and its affiliated companies develop, build, own, and operate large-scale renewable and other clean energy generation, transmission, and storage facilities in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Headquartered in Chicago, Invenergy has regional development offices in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Spain, Japan, Poland, and Scotland.
Invenergy and its affiliated companies have successfully developed more than 34,000 megawatts of projects that are in operation, construction, or contracted, including natural gas, solar and wind power generation, transmission infrastructure, and advanced energy storage projects.
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