A group of lenders provided construction financing for both projects, with Fifth Third Bank and Zions Bancorporation serving as coordinating lead arrangers. Additional lead arrangers included Bank of America, Commerzbank, and Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank New York.
The Heartwood facility is expected to employ over 300 workers during peak construction and is scheduled to begin commercial operations in 2026. It has secured a power purchase agreement with Consumers Energy. The White Tail project, set to be operational by late 2025, has agreements with the Lansing Board of Water and Light and the Michigan Public Power Agency.
DESRI’s chief commercial officer, Thomas de Swardt, stated: “Heartwood and White Tail mark DESRI’s 11th and 12th projects in Michigan, where we have been building since 2019 through our partnership with Ranger Power. We deeply appreciate the support of our customers at Consumers Energy, Lansing Board of Water and Light, and Michigan Public Power Agency, who continue to prioritise cost-effective, in-state generation that can deliver to the grid quickly, enabling new load and economic growth within the state.”
Primoris Services Corporation’s renewable energy division will handle engineering, procurement, and construction for the solar arrays, while The Consulting Engineers Group will manage high-voltage components.
Ranger Power’s co-founder and president, Paul Harris, stated: “These projects, which will provide in excess of $62m in property tax payments throughout their lives, will generate low-cost, reliable and domestic energy supporting farming and economic development throughout the region. As neighbours, we will continue to look for ways to support the communities our projects call home. We have and will continue to invest in local causes like our contributions to the Hillsdale Community Foundation and partnership to secure an additional $732,950 for Augusta and York townships through Michigan’s Renewable Ready Communities Fund.”
In a separate initiative, DESRI partnered with El Paso Electric in August 2024 to begin construction on the 130MW Carne solar and storage project in Deming, New Mexico.
