Arkansas Democrat-Gazette files lawsuit seeking contract between Entergy, Google related to data centers
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette has filed a lawsuit against the state Public Service Commission, seeking access to a contract between Entergy Arkansas and Google. The contract pertains to a special rate for a West Memphis data center and was withheld by the commission citing trade secrets. The newspaper argues for public transparency under the Freedom of Information Act.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and business reporter Sydney Sasser have filed a lawsuit against the state Public Service Commission in Pulaski County Circuit Court. The suit aims to compel the release of a contract between Entergy Arkansas and Google regarding a special rate for a proposed $4 billion Google data center in West Memphis, a contract which the commission approved in December. The Public Service Commission had denied access to certain documents, citing exemptions for trade secrets or proprietary information under state law.
Lee Wolverton, executive editor of the Democrat-Gazette, emphasized the newspaper's commitment to public transparency, stating that governmental secrecy concerning projects of public interest, including data center developments in West Memphis and Little Rock, is unacceptable. The requested documents detail special rate contracts, "other contributions," and payment timelines between Google and Entergy. A component of the Entergy-Google agreement mandates Entergy to construct the $1.6 billion Cypress Solar facility near Pine Bluff, financed through the Generating Arkansas Jobs Act Rider. Google is also pursuing another data center project at the Port of Little Rock.