Castillo Engineering Secures 6 Utility-Scale Solar Projects in Illinois with Recon Corporation

Castillo Engineering has been selected to provide full-scope engineering services for six new utility-scale solar projects in Illinois developed by Recon Corporation. The portfolio spans multiple locations, including Manteno, Elburn, and Franklin Grove, featuring both agricultural and conservation-sensitive land.

Castillo is delivering a full suite of civil and electrical engineering services for each site, including power system and ampacity studies, structural and CAB calculations, equipment pad design, relay settings, and PVsyst modeling.

"After collaborating successfully with the Recon team on prior projects, we're proud to support this next phase of work," said Christopher Castillo, CEO of Castillo Engineering. 

"Our continued partnership reflects the trust we've built and the consistency we bring to complex, multi-site portfolio," added Castillo.

Several sites posed significant engineering challenges. At multiple locations, the presence of central gas pipelines imposed strict constraints on electrical routing, allowing only two permitted conduit crossings. Castillo worked within these limits to develop optimized layouts and safe, code-compliant designs that preserved performance while adhering to permitting requirements.

In addition, the Franklin Grove site required additional environmental sensitivity to protect nearby wetlands. Addressing this challenge, Castillo repositioned customer poles to protect the wetlands while maintaining NEC and NESC compliance.

"Castillo's ability to deliver quality engineering under tight constraints and diverse site conditions has made them one of our most trusted partners," said Jackson Maxwell, Recon's project manager for the Franklin Grove project.

These Illinois-based projects support Castillo's strategic goal of expanding its presence in the MISO utility-scale solar market while maintaining its commitment to client-focused growth.