PureSky Energy announced on September 22, 2026 that its McLean 1 Community Solar project is fully operating in McLean County, Illinois, near Bloomington-Normal. It is the company’s first project in the state, developed through the Illinois Solar for All program and dedicated entirely to low- and moderate-income households.
McLean 1 at a glance
| Item | PureSky’s figure |
|---|---|
| Status | Fully operating (announced Sept. 22, 2026) |
| Who it serves | Income-eligible households |
| Capacity | 1.98 MWDC |
| Panels | About 3,364 modules |
| Annual generation (estimate) | About 3,132,688 kWh |
| Household equivalent | Roughly 439 households’ annual use |
| CO2 avoided (estimate) | About 4.6 million pounds a year |
| Customer savings (estimate) | About $5.4 million over 30 years |
Source: PureSky Energy press release, Sept. 22, 2026. All figures are the developer’s estimates. The 439 households figure is an equivalence based on average household use, not a count of subscribers.
How subscribing works
Subscribers don’t install anything. They enroll through PureSky and receive credits for the power the farm produces. PureSky says enrollment has no upfront cost, no rooftop installation and no long-term contract. Applicants must meet income-eligibility guidelines, and the company’s release doesn’t list them.
The real promise is the guarantee. PureSky says subscribers receive “guaranteed savings equal to 50 percent of the value of their solar credits.” Read that carefully: it is not a 50% cut in a household’s whole electric bill. As an illustration, if a household’s credits were worth $40 in a month, the guaranteed saving would be about $20 under that wording. Credits typically cover only the part of a bill that the solar farm offsets, so the effect on a total bill depends on how many credits a household receives.
Michael Brown, executive director of the Ecology Action Center, which supported the project locally, said in the release that local electric rates have risen 135% over five years. That is his statement, and the release doesn’t give the baseline or the source of the figure.
Why It Matters to You
- If you’re a low- or moderate-income household near Bloomington-Normal, you may be able to subscribe and get credits without putting panels on a roof.
- PureSky says there’s no upfront cost and no long-term contract, plus a savings guarantee of 50% of the value of your solar credits.
- The farm is operating now, but you have to meet the income guidelines, and the release doesn’t say what they are or how many subscriptions are open.
What the release leaves out
The $5.4 million is a 30-year estimate for all customers combined, not a payment to any household, so dividing it by 30 years or by 439 homes gives an average, not a promise. The 50% guarantee applies to the value of solar credits, not the total bill. The release doesn’t state a number of enrolled households, and it doesn’t mention Ameren by name, so which utility bill carries the credits isn’t confirmed. It also doesn’t say which kinds of customers (renters, homeowners, nonprofits) qualify beyond being income-eligible, and it gives no typical community solar discount range. Income limits and subscription availability aren’t in the release at all.
Quick answers
Will my electric bill be cut in half? No. The guarantee is savings equal to 50% of the value of your solar credits. Your total bill includes other charges.
Do I need a rooftop? No. The farm is a shared array, and subscribers don’t install panels.
How do I sign up? PureSky says to enroll through the company or its website. You must meet the income-eligibility guidelines.
What is Illinois Solar for All? It’s a state program that supports solar for low- and moderate-income households. McLean 1 was developed through it.