December 4, 2025
Northern solar energy has built its first project in the Midwest, featuring a 7.5 MWp fixed-tilt solar array paired with 1,050 kVA battery storage in Illinois. The interconnection of the system is planned for the end of December 2025.
The new solar energy + storage system will provide direct power to Prysmian‘s cable factory in Du Quoin, Illinois. The facility, which produces copper medium-voltage cable that can be used in renewable energy applications such as solar and wind power, will extract renewable energy from the system, reducing dependence on the electricity grid and accelerating the transition to more sustainable operations.
Developed in collaboration with a distributed clean energy developer PowerFlexthe project includes a Tesla Megapack 2XL battery storage system and more than 10,800 modules. It is one of the few distributed projects in the region that will directly serve a major industrial facility, relieving pressure on the local electrical grid and surrounding areas. Community benefits of the project also included the creation of local trade jobs in the Du Quoin area.
“This project marks Northern Sun Energy’s expansion into the MISO market, an important milestone for our team,” said Scott Pfaff, VP Construction Operations and Managing Partner at Northern Sun Energy. “Working on this site with Prysmian and our returning customer, PowerFlex, reflects what we need to do here: deliver practical, well-designed clean energy systems that support local industry, help manage grid demand and build long-term energy resilience.”
Supporting climate objectives
This project will support Prysmian’s ambitious climate goals, in particular its commitment to reduce Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 90% and achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions across the value chain by 2035. It will also allow Prysmian to participate in the state’s efforts Illinois shines program, an initiative to support clean energy development developed by the Illinois Power Agency (IPA). The Illinois Shines program will purchase Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) generated by this solar project, which are widely used in energy markets.
“As we continue to produce essential cables for electrification and data centers, we are proud to partner with Northern Sun Energy and Powerflex to help produce these products using energy from these new solar panels,” said Paul Furtado, COO of Prysmian North America. “The solar farm at our Du Quoin facility will generate 50% of the energy needed for production, allowing us to significantly reduce our overall energy consumption while making essential improvements to the electric grid in a more sustainable manner.”
Tags: commercial and industrial, solar + storage
