Clearway Energy Group has closed financing and begun construction of a 650 MW solar farm on former strip-mined land in Bates County, north-western Missouri. The Swan Energy Center is expected to enter commercial operation in 2028 and is Clearway’s first project in the state.
The $1.5 billion development is supported by a 20-year power purchase agreement.
Financing was arranged through a bank consortium led by Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, DNB Bank and National Australia Bank. Clearway Energy, Inc., has agreed to invest in the project once it reaches commercial operation.
Construction partner Blattner Energy is expected to oversee work.
The project includes a 30-year payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement with Bates County, which Clearway estimates will generate more than $80 million for local schools and other public services over its term.
Additional commitments include $1 million for emergency equipment in 2026, annual payments of $288,000 for the first ten years to support road and bridge departments across 24 townships and road districts, and $200,000 for public safety equipment in Amoret and Amsterdam.
John Woody, Clearway’s chief development officer, said the project represented “a significant investment in Bates County”, bringing clean electricity generation and economic benefits to the area.
The facility will use American-made solar panels and other equipment. Plans also include maintaining native grasses and flowering plants to provide habitat for pollinators, including monarch butterflies, while supporting soil drainage and health.
Swan Energy Center is part of a 1.2 GW portfolio of projects Clearway announced earlier in 2026. Its development will repurpose previously mined land for large-scale electricity generation while adding new solar capacity to the regional power supply.
