Cleanview

Planned solar farms in Illinois

Developers have proposed 284 solar farms in Illinois with 36 GW of capacity, in the grid operators' interconnection queues.

  • Planned284

See operating solar farms in Illinois

ChicagoSpringfieldPeoriaRockford

Under 50 MW50–249 MW250 MW and up

Updated monthly. Last updated November 2026.

More planned solar farms in Illinois are expected online in 2026 than in any other year

’26’27’28’29’30’31’32’33
Planned solar farms by the year they're expected online. Source: the grid operators' interconnection queues, compiled by Cleanview.

The 10 largest planned solar farms in Illinois

Planned, by capacity

#Solar farmExpected onlineCapacity
1Steward Creek Solar Phase 120291,200 MW
2Nelson-Electric Junction 345 kV20251,200 MW
3Nelson-Electric Junction 345 kV–1,200 MW
4Nelson-Electric Junction 345 kV20251,000 MW
5Nelson-Electric Junction 345 kV–1,000 MW
6Ipava-Maple Ridge 345kV (4573)2024821 MW
7Nelson - Electric Junction 345 kV2024800 MW
8Nelson - Electric Junction 345 kV–800 MW
9Steward Creek Solar2031600 MW
10Meredosia - Austin 345 kV Line tap2024593 MW

Planned solar farms expected online soonest in Illinois

In the next 18 months, soonest first

#Solar farmExpected onlineCapacity
1Prairie 345 kV2026150 MW
27W_FRFT_E - 7NORRIS 345.0kV2026140 MW
3Great Plains Solar, LLC2026100 MW
4Switchgrass Plains Solar, LLC2026100 MW
5Ramsey East 138kV Substation2026100 MW
6Aster 138kV Substation2026100 MW
7Snapdragon Solar, LLC202628 MW
8SV CSG Diel 120265 MW
9SV CSG Sun Trust Solar20265 MW
10SV CSG Kingston Solar 120265 MW
The developer behind each project is on paid plans. See plans

How Cleanview tracks solar farms

Operating solar farms come from the EIA's monthly survey of power plants. Planned projects come from the grid operators' interconnection queues. We research who is developing each one, since a queue lists a project company, not its owner.

Questions about solar farms in Illinois

How many solar farms are planned in Illinois?
Developers have proposed 284 solar farms in Illinois with 36 GW of capacity, according to the grid operators' interconnection queues. Most queue projects are never built.
What is the largest planned solar farm in Illinois?
Steward Creek Solar Phase 1 in Lee County, Illinois is the largest planned, at 1,200 MW. It is expected to come online in 2029.
Who is developing solar farms in Illinois?
Interconnection queues list each project under a project company, not the developer behind it. Cleanview researches the developer of every project and has them on paid plans.

More energy trackers for Illinois

Planned solar farms in other states

Explore by grid operator