The company has reached a power purchase agreement with NextEra Energy Resources, which will build the proposed 81MW solar facility.
Said to become the state’s largest solar power plant, the project will feature an array of stationary solar panels covering nearly 500 acres and it will generate clean energy that will be enough to power approximately 13,000 homes.
The solar plant will be connected to Entergy’s transmission grid by mid-2019.
During the construction phase, NextEra Energy Resources will create around 200-300 jobs and anticipates that tax contributions to the State of Arkansas will be close to $8m.
In addition to this solar project, Entergy Arkansas plans to invest around $2.4bn in generation, transmission and distribution improvements to the state’s electrical infrastructure through 2017.
Entergy Arkansas president and CEO Hugh McDonald said: "Our generation portfolio is already one of the cleanest in the country. In 2014 our electricity generation consisted of 71 percent emissions-free nuclear energy, which is both good for the environment and good for the low cost and rate stability it provides.
"Both nuclear and solar provide emissions-free power and a natural hedge for energy price fluctuations due to uncertain environmental regulations and natural gas price volatility."
