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Clearway starts construction on 650 MW Swan solar project in Missouri

Clearway says financing has closed for the $1.5 billion project, with commercial operation expected in 2028. Capacity, peak construction jobs and long-term local benefits are separate measures.

By Greener Numbers Editorial Team · Published October 9, 2026 · Updated 10/9/2026

Clearway Energy Group said on October 6 that it had closed financing and begun construction on the Swan Energy Center, a 650 MW solar facility in northwestern Bates County, Missouri. The site includes portions of formerly strip-mined land. Construction has begun; the project is not yet an operating power plant.

The company describes Swan as a $1.5 billion energy center financed by a bank consortium led by Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, DNB Bank ASA and National Australia Bank Limited. Clearway Energy, Inc. has agreed to invest in the project when it reaches commercial operations. The company expects commercial operation in 2028, so the timing remains a forecast.

Swan is contracted under a 20-year power purchase agreement. Clearway says it belongs to a 1.2 GW project portfolio announced earlier this year. That portfolio figure is separate from Swan's 650 MW capacity. The release compares expected annual electricity generation with the needs of approximately 200,000 homes; it is an energy-equivalence estimate, not a promise that those households will receive continuous solar power or lower bills.

Clearway says construction with Blattner Energy is expected to create up to 500 jobs at peak activity, followed by several long-term technician positions once the project is online. Peak construction jobs are not the same as permanent jobs or currently advertised vacancies.

A 30-year Payment in Lieu of Taxes agreement is expected to generate more than $80 million for the local school district and other county services over its full life. The release also names separate commitments for emergency equipment, roads and bridges, and public safety equipment. These are company-stated project benefits, not annual household savings.

The company says the project will use American-made solar panels and other equipment and maintain native grasses and floral resources for pollinators. The announcement does not establish a retail electricity price, a guaranteed completion date or a measured reduction in residents' energy bills.

Official source: clearwayenergygroup.com ↗