“Federal Policy Uncertainty” Blamed for Delay of Peotone Solar Farm; County Grants Second Extension

Article Summary: The Will County Board has granted a second permit extension for a solar farm in Peotone Township after the developer, Trajectory Energy Partners, cited “ongoing uncertainty regarding federal renewable energy policy” as a cause for delay. The extension for the Pralle Farms Partnership project on West Kennedy Road pushes its deadline to February 2026.

Peotone Solar Farm Extension Key Points:

• Project: A commercial solar farm by Pralle Farms Partnership on West Kennedy Road in Peotone Township.

• Action: The board approved a second 180-day extension for the project’s special use permit, now valid until February 8, 2026.

• Reason: The developer cited delays related to new federal renewable energy legislation, referred to as the “One Big Beautiful Bill.”

• Vote: The extension was approved 19-1, with board member Katie Deane-Schlottman voting against the measure.

JOLIET — Citing “ongoing uncertainty regarding federal renewable energy policy,” developers of a commercial solar farm in Peotone Township were granted a second extension on their special use permit by the Will County Board on Thursday.

The project, located on a vacant property on West Kennedy Road and owned by Pralle Farms Partnership, was initially approved on March 16, 2023. Developer Trajectory Energy Partners received its first extension in February 2025.

In a memo to the board’s Land Use and Development Committee, Marguerite Kenny, a county Zoning Administrator, noted that the applicant submitted the second extension request on August 6, 2025. The request “provided a detailed letter further explaining the current federal regulation climate” following the passage of new legislation in July referred to as the “One Big Beautiful Bill.”

A building permit for the solar facility was created on March 7, 2025, but the application is still under review and awaiting required submittals, according to the memo. Special use permits typically expire after two years if construction is not lawfully established.

The board approved the second 180-day extension in a 19-1 vote, with Katie Deane-Schlottman casting the lone dissenting vote. The permit is now valid through February 8, 2026, giving the developers more time to navigate the federal policy landscape and finalize their construction permit.