Entergy Arkansas receives approval for 250-megawatt photo voltaic farm close to Osceola

Entergy Arkansas, a utility of New Orleans-based Entergy Corp., has acquired regulatory approval for a 250-megawatt photo voltaic farm close to Osceola in Mississippi County, in response to a Tuesday (Oct. 4) information launch. The almost 2,100-acre farm will probably be able to producing sufficient vitality to energy greater than 40,000 properties.

The Driver Photo voltaic farm will probably be Entergy Arkansas’ largest photo voltaic facility and is predicted to assist U.S. Metal Corp. meet its sustainability targets, the discharge reveals.

The Arkansas Public Service Fee authorised the farm to be constructed alongside Arkansas Freeway 61 close to Carson Lake Highway and Arkansas Freeway 198. It will likely be adjoining to U.S. Metal’s Huge River Metal facility and the deliberate $3 billion enlargement. Lightsource bp will construct the photo voltaic farm that’s anticipated to be accomplished in late 2024.

“Driver Photo voltaic provides extremely financial, renewable era to our portfolio, additional diversifying our vitality combine in a manner that meets our clients’ evolving expectations,” mentioned Laura Landreaux, president and CEO of Entergy Arkansas. “It’s a key contribution towards enterprise enlargement in northeast Arkansas, and we’re excited to be part of it.

“We’re listening to our clients as we develop and execute our era technique for the longer term,” she added. “We’re privileged to have the ability to work carefully with U.S. Metal Corp. to develop sustainable options to assist them meet their goal of manufacturing metal utilizing renewable electrical energy whereas concurrently reducing charges over the long run for all 728,000-plus Entergy Arkansas clients.”

Richard Fruehauf, senior vp, chief technique and sustainability officer for U.S. Metal, mentioned “This mission with Entergy Arkansas and Lightsource bp illustrates the significance of partnerships. Driver Photo voltaic not solely helps us meet our strong sustainability targets, however it is going to additionally assist us ship sustainable metal options for our clients. The renewable vitality generated will energy the manufacturing of verdeX, our superior sustainable metal product, which consists of as much as 90% recycled metal content material, in addition to different merchandise produced at our Huge River Works facility.”

The mission’s development section is predicted to create between 350 and 400 jobs. After the farm is accomplished, Entergy Arkansas will make use of outdoors companies for upkeep, reminiscent of land administration and vegetation management, operations, workplace lease and group payroll. Firm officers mentioned that the mission is predicted to not directly profit space companies, together with eating places and shops, in the course of the development section.

Property taxes related to Entergy Arkansas’ possession of the mission are estimated to common about $1.2 million for Mississippi County yearly or about $36 million over 30 years.

In line with the discharge, the Driver Photo voltaic farm will use First Photo voltaic modules, or panels, which might be manufactured in Ohio. Together with the modules supplied by Tempe, Ariz.-based First Photo voltaic, the photo voltaic farm will probably be constructed with photo voltaic trackers manufactured by Albuquerque, N.M.-based Array Applied sciences. Additionally, the farm will host two Monarch butterfly habitat areas to exceed 70 acres.

“The Driver Photo voltaic mission is one other demonstration of how photo voltaic can energy our nation’s business with cost-competitive, clear, reliable electrical energy,” Kevin Smith, Lightsource bp’s CEO of the Americas. “Arkansas’ largest photo voltaic mission will assist construct American-made sustainable metal, in addition to create a whole lot of U.S. jobs for development and throughout the provision chain.”

In June, Entergy Corp. mentioned plans for as much as 7 gigawatts of renewable assets by the tip of 2025 and as a lot as 14 to 17 gigawatts of renewable assets by the tip of 2031. Earlier this yr, Entergy Arkansas issued a request for proposals for 1,000 megawatts of wind and photo voltaic assets.