Invenergy outlines 200‑MW "Olympus" solar project, answers county questions

Steve Morris, a developer with Invenergy, told the Muscatine County Board of Supervisors on March 31 that the company plans to seek local permits this year for the Olympus Solar project, a proposed 200‑megawatt solar facility with a 50‑megawatt battery storage component. Morris said the project currently would occupy roughly 1,100 acres and that Invenergy has easements signed on about 5,500 acres in the broader study area.

The presentation came during the board’s regular meeting. Morris said the project has a generator interconnection agreement with the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, or MISO, and would connect at the Sub‑92 substation between West Liberty and Atalissa. He said Invenergy expects to apply for the county special‑use permit and a floodplain development permit in June and to seek an Iowa Utilities Commission permit (required for projects above 25 MW). If permitting proceeds as planned, Morris said construction could begin in late 2026 with a target operation date in December 2028.

“The project is gonna be roughly 40 years in operation,” Morris said, describing signed easements (32 agreements to date) and a typical contract structure with an initial 25‑year term and an option for another 25 years. He said Invenergy expects roughly 200 construction jobs for the build and three to five permanent operations positions. Morris estimated landowner…