Google to purchase power from new Steel River solar project in Mississippi County

Google has entered into a significant power purchase agreement (PPA) with California-based Cypress Creek Renewables for the Steel River Energy Center, a large solar and energy storage facility currently under construction near Wilson in Mississippi County, Arkansas. The PPA covers the electricity output from the initial two phases of the project, which will deliver a combined 1.6 gigawatts of solar generation and 1.9 gigawatts of battery storage to the grid. The full project, expected to be completed by 2029, will total 2.5 gigawatts of solar power and 2.9 gigawatts of battery storage.

Will Conkling, Google's head of data center energy, stated that the Steel River project is a crucial investment in Google's clean energy commitments and its presence in Arkansas, aiming to strengthen the grid and provide reliable, affordable, clean energy for the state's businesses and communities. This announcement coincides with the groundbreaking ceremony for Steel River construction. The power from this project will support Google's $4 billion data center in West Memphis, which began construction last October, and another data center being developed at the Port of Little Rock.

Beyond energy, Google and Cypress Creek are contributing $8 million to a fund for local schools, food security, and community initiatives in Mississippi County. The Steel River project itself is projected to create approximately 700 construction jobs per phase and generate an estimated $300 million in local tax revenue, benefiting the Rivercrest School District, Mississippi County, and the town of Wilson. Laura Landreaux, president and CEO of Entergy Arkansas, highlighted the project's role in meeting the state's increasing power demand with low-cost solar. The project also emphasizes local manufacturing, utilizing U.S.-made solar panels and structural steel from Mississippi County, with PACO Steel and U.S. Steel supplying components.