KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Burns & McDonnell is providing the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for three Alliant Energy solar projects in Wisconsin. The projects include Bear Creek (50-MW/ac / 64-MW/dc), North Rock (50-MW/ac / 64-MW/dc), and Wood County (150-MW/ac / 198-MW/dc) and are part of the path to generating cleaner energy in the state.

Burns & McDonnell will provide fully integrated EPC services for the program and self-perform the construction. In the spring of 2021, the team successfully procured 1.5 million bifacial monocrystalline PV modules during an extremely volatile panel market, helping keep the project on track.

“The ability of our team to procure the quantity of PV panels needed, in such a high-demand market, was imperative to keeping the project progress on schedule” says Chad Cotter, Director of Solar EPC at Burns & McDonnell.  “Our understanding of current panel market dynamics and relationships with the various suppliers allowed success during this high-demand time”

Burns & McDonnell will perform conceptual and detailed electrical design, environmental studies and permitting, civil and structural design for the PV modules, substation and gen-tie scopes. The team will work to construct the projects in a manner that is environmentally sustainable and supports wetland and wildlife preservation. AZCO, a part of the Burns & McDonnell family of companies, headquartered in Appleton, Wisconsin, will perform the pile driving, equipment installation and electrical scope. They will also fabricate and deliver substation steel designed by Burns & McDonnell for all three sites.

As a commitment to helping keep jobs local, Burns & McDonnell will subcontract portions of the civil construction and electrical installation to the local Wisconsin workforce, helping provide jobs through new construction opportunities. These projects will require a large amount of skilled labor, with peak labor reaching almost 400 people.

Approximately 10 miles of high-voltage overhead transmission lines and substations will be designed and built by Burns & McDonnell to connect the solar facilities with existing transmission infrastructure owned by American Transmission Company (ATC).

“We’re excited to partner with Alliant Energy to help them achieve their long-term vision as we build out these solar sites,” says Doug Riedel, Senior Vice President of Renewables at Burns & McDonnell.

Burns & McDonnell ranks No. 1 in Power and among the top 10 design firms in the U.S. according to Engineering News-Record (ENR). Additionally, the firm also ranks among the top 10 design-build firms in the nation.

About Burns & McDonnell

Burns & McDonnell is a family of companies bringing together an unmatched team of 7,600 engineers, construction professionals, architects, planners, technologists and scientists to design and build our critical infrastructure. With an integrated construction and design mindset, we offer full-service capabilities with more than 60 offices globally. Founded in 1898, Burns & McDonnell is 100% employee-owned. Learn how we are designed to build.