DECATUR, Ill. - Officials are favorably eyeing Macon County's first solar farm. The Macon County Board approved a special-use permit for a 20-acre solar farm project near Oreana. It's about nine miles (14 kilometers) northeast of Decatur.
The request was filed by Minneapolis-based Geronimo Energy. It's one of two recently requested of county officials. The other is from SolAmerica Energy based in Atlanta.
The permit approved for Geronimo still needs state approval. Amber Miller is a development consultant for Geronimo. She says the county support is a boost. The company would start construction by early 2020 and complete the project within six months. Officials say the farm would be the size of 15 football fields and generate enough energy to power 430 homes annually.