Major Indiana Solar Project Advances to Next Phase

Project manager Bechtel said further construction of the 1.3-GW Mammoth Solar facility in Indiana is moving forward, with the company on May 16 saying the project “kicked its construction activities into a higher gear this month.”

Bechtel was selected by Doral Renewables, a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based developer, owner and operator of renewable energy projects, to deliver the next three phases of the solar farm. Mammoth Solar, which will be among the largest solar arrays in the U.S. when complete, is expected to increase Indiana’s solar power generation capacity by more than 20%. Bechtel on Friday said Doral Renewables has granted it a Full Notice to Proceed (FNTP) with the next three stages of the project.

The solar farm’s three phases currently under construction include Mammoth South, Mammoth Central I, and Mammoth Center II. Each phase will have 300 MW of generation capacity. The FNTP enables Bechtel to complete the project’s design and begin permanent construction works, which includes installation of solar panels, power cables, and substations. The project is being built in Pulaski and Starke counties, in northern Indiana southeast of Chicago, Illinois.

An earlier stage of the project, the 400-MW Mammoth North solar farm, came online in July 2024.

“Bechtel is proud to partner with Doral to deliver one of the nation’s largest solar projects,” said Scott Austin, Bechtel general manager of Renewables & Clean Power. “A project of this scale depends on strong collaboration with local building trades to ensure access to the skilled workforce needed. We’re working closely with craft professionals, creating high-quality jobs, and being a reliable partner to the community as we help deliver Mammoth Solar and increase the supply of clean, reliable solar power.”

“Thanks to the meticulous planning and collaboration over the past several months, we are now poised to move confidently into construction,” said Amit Nadkarni, Doral Renewables SVP of Project & Asset Management. “We remain deeply committed to the highest standards of safety, quality, and environmental stewardship throughout this phase. We are equally focused on fostering strong community relationships, ensuring meaningful local participation from the workforce and vendors, and supporting the county through direct, indirect, and induced economic benefits.”

Bechtel is leading the project’s design and delivery, overseeing all aspects of engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and project management. The three phases over the next two years will include the installation of about 2 million solar modules, 1 million of which will be U.S.-made. Bechtel will apply its digital delivery approach and autonomous technologies to streamline construction and enhance project delivery.

The project at peak construction is expected to create more than 1,200 jobs. The companies said at least 15% of those jobs will be dedicated to apprenticeships that will provide hands-on training for young professionals and newcomers to the construction industry. Mammoth Solar is expected to come online in 2027.

Doral Renewables upon the project’s completion plans to implement agrivoltaics initiatives across the site, which includes integrating on-site livestock grazing and crop cultivation around the panels. This dual-use technique enables local landowners to continue farming operations and maximize land use. Doral on Friday said its solar and energy storage development portfolio comprises nearly 18 GW, which includes 400 MW currently in operation and 950 MW under construction. Doral Renewables operates in 22 states and across seven electricity markets.

—Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER.