NextEra Energy Resources has begun constructing Arkansas’ largest utility-scale photovoltaic plant, the 100MW Chicot Solar Energy Center.
Construction of the solar farm, near Lake Village in Chicot County, will take around 11 months to complete and will feature 350,000 PV modules.
A subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources is developing the project and will build, own and operate the asset.
The energy generated will serve customers of local utility Entergy Arkansas under a 20-year power purchase agreement.
The Chicot Solar Energy Center, when complete, will be bigger than the Stuttgart Solar Energy Center, which came online in 2018 as the state’s largest universal solar energy project at that time.
Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson said, “We are pleased that Entergy Arkansas and NextEra Energy Resources have partnered together to bring more solar power to the state.
“Utility-scale solar keeps electric rates low, and the clean, renewable energy it provides can be a catalyst for economic growth. This project is great for south-east Arkansas and is yet another reason our future looks bright in the Natural State.”
Entergy Arkansas president and chief executive officer Laura Landreaux said, “Entergy Arkansas is already the largest solar provider in the state, and this project allows us to increase what we can provide for our customers.
“Large-scale, universal solar allows us to provide the benefits of renewable energy to all of our 700,000 customers at an economic price.”
The project will create a up to 150 jobs during the construction phase.
Over its operational life, the Chicot Solar Energy Center is expected to generate nearly $7m in additional revenue for Chicot County, with much of that funding going to help Chicot County’s public schools, said the developers.