Burns & McDonnell delivers 346 MW DC Gibson City solar project in Illinois

Burns & McDonnell said on 1 September 2026 that the 346 MW DC Gibson City Solar Project in Illinois, developed by Earthrise Energy and delivered by Burns & McDonnell as engineer-procure-construct (EPC) contractor, has achieved commercial operation. The project connects through the existing switchyard of an adjacent natural gas-fired peaking facility, using available grid capacity instead of a new interconnection. It spans approximately 1,700 acres across McLean and Ford counties and is expected to generate enough electricity for approximately 46,000 homes.

The firm’s scope covered EPC services, including procurement of trackers, piles, cable, inverters and electrical balance-of-plant equipment, plus environmental support. Its construction subsidiary AZCO self-performed part of the underground electrical work, drove piles and installed trackers and modules. The team also built a 34.5-/138-kilovolt collector substation with two transformers and a gen-tie line to the existing Gibson City energy center substation, and designed and commissioned the SCADA systems for a project that serves multiple power purchase agreements.

Burns & McDonnell said terrain-following trackers limited grading to fewer than 40,000 cubic yards across the site, which it said cut grading requirements by as much as 90% compared with conventional utility-scale solar construction. It also said Gritt robotics and AI software installed part of the modules. The release did not state a contract value.