Entergy Arkansas Issues RFP for 1,000 MW of Renewable Energy Generation

Entergy Arkansas has issued a request for proposals for 1,000 MW of solar and wind generation resources. Resources would be procured through a combination of one or more build-own-transfer agreements, self-build alternatives, and/or one or more power purchase agreements that would be in operation between May 2025 and December 2026.

“Entergy Arkansas has a commitment to providing our customers with low-cost, reliable energy as well as more renewable generation,” says Kurt Castleberry, director of resource planning and marketing operations. “We continue to grow green energy within our diverse portfolio of power resources to better serve our existing and growing customer base and look forward to some exciting proposals.”

Solar facilities would be required to be within the Entergy Arkansas service territory, while wind resources could be located in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) or Southwest Power Pool footprints.

Entergy Arkansas currently has 281 MW of solar power providing clean, emission-free renewable energy to customers. In addition to the Stuttgart and Chicot solar facilities, the company’s largest solar farm – Searcy Solar Facility – came online in late 2021, with a 100 MW generation capacity and batteries that can store 30 MWs.

The company is the largest energy provider in Arkansas and has a mix of energy sources to ensure reliability, safe and cost-effective power to its 728,000 customers that are spread out among 63 of the state’s 75 counties, covering more than 40,880 square miles.

Additional solar and wind resources would complement the diverse and carbon-free generation Entergy Arkansas fleet, which includes hydroelectric facilities at Carpenter and Remmel dams, three solar facilities and Arkansas Nuclear One. Nuclear energy accounts for about 70% of the fuel mix for the company’s customers, followed by hydropower at 16%, with the remaining power sourced from coal, natural gas and solar.

Original Source: https://solarindustrymag.com/entergy-arkansas-issues-rfp-for-1000-mw-of-renewable-energy-generation