Entergy Arkansas kicks off operations at 100-MW Arkansas solar project
By Kelsey Misbrener | September 20, 2024
Adding to its growing fleet of utility-scale solar generating facilities, Entergy Arkansas has announced the start of commercial operations at Walnut Bend Solar Energy Center. The 100-MW solar project is located in Lee County, to the east of Brinkley, Arkansas. Entergy Arkansas acquired Walnut Bend from Invenergy, a leading privately held developer, owner and operator of sustainable energy solutions. Invenergy led the development, engineering, and construction of the facility.
“Walnut Bend will be a valuable addition to our generation fleet, which, in turn, complements our diverse mix of generation sources that have been powering life in Arkansas for more than 100 years,” said Entergy Arkansas President and CEO Laura Landreaux. “Our investments in these generation resources are a key part of keeping the rates our customers pay below the regional and national averages and enables us to provide reliable, affordable, and sustainable service to our customers throughout the state.”
The Walnut Bend facility will generate an estimated $700,000 in annual property taxes for Lee County. It utilizes innovative technologies, including bifacial solar panels and racking equipment that tracks the sun. Bifacial panels capture sunlight on both sides of the panel, taking advantage of light reflecting off the ground, while the racking systems adjusts their tilt so that they follow the sun throughout the day, maximizing their energy production.
“I am pleased to welcome Walnut Bend Solar to my district,” said Arkansas Senator Ron Caldwell, District 10. “This facility represents a significant investment in Lee County that will provide economic benefits locally and throughout Arkansas.”
Walnut Bend is the fourth solar resource Entergy Arkansas has placed into service — all generating renewable, emission-free solar power for all Entergy Arkansas’ customers. The others are the 81-MW Stuttgart Solar, the 100-MW Chico Solar at Lake Village and the 100-MW Searcy Solar. The four facilities combined will generate 381 megawatts of power for Entergy Arkansas customers.
Later this year, Entergy Arkansas will bring 430 additional MW of solar power facilities online: West Memphis (180 MW) and Driver (250 MW), which it will own and operate. Two additional solar facilities are planned to come online in 2025: Flat Fork (200 MW) and Forgeview (200 MW), which will provide energy and capacity to Entergy Arkansas via long-term power purchase agreements.