The Arkansas Public Service Commission has approved the Entergy Arkansas Driver Solar Project, a new 250-megawatt AC (or 312 MW DC) renewable energy facility developed by Lightsource bp, which will be located on approximately 2,100 acres near Osceola in Mississippi County.
Driver Solar will be the utility’s largest solar facility, capable of generating enough energy to power more than 40,000 homes.
“Driver Solar adds economic, renewable generation to our portfolio, diversifying our energy mix in a way that meets our customers’ evolving expectations,” said Laura Landreaux, president and CEO of Entergy Arkansas.
The Driver Solar site is located along Arkansas Highway 61 near Carson Lake Road and Arkansas Highway 198, just south of Osceola, and will be situated adjacent to both the U. S. Steel’s Big River Steel facility and the recently announced $3 billion expansion.
Lightsource bp has completed development and permitting of the solar field and will build the facility under a build-transfer agreement with Entergy Arkansas. Driver Solar has an expected completion date in late 2024.
Lightsource bp was recently named world’s largest solar developer by Mercom Capital Partners.
In November 2021, Lightsource bp and bp announced a procurement deal with U.S.-based First Solar for 5.4 gigawatts of First Solar modules. All 250 megawatts of the Driver Solar project will be generated using carbon thin-film modules manufactured by First Solar. In addition to modules supplied by Tempe-based First Solar, the facility will be built with solar trackers manufactured by Albuquerque-based Array Technologies.
Driver Solar is expected to provide between 350 and 400 jobs during the construction phase, utilizing the local workforce and subcontractors.
Entergy Arkansas earlier issued a request for proposals for 1,000 MW of wind and solar resources. In June 2022, Entergy discussed plans for up to 7 gigawatts of renewable resources by the end of 2025, and as much as 14 to 17 gigawatts of renewable resources by the end of 2031.