New battery energy storage system near Osceola, Arkansas
Supporting Entergy Arkansas customer needs
Entergy Arkansas strives to provide affordable, efficient, and reliable power to all our customers to meet electricity needs today and into the next generation. Entergy Arkansas is proud to serve more than 737,000 customers located in 63 counties across a robust electric system.
Entergy Arkansas is planning to construct a 1,000 megawatt-hour battery energy storage system (“BESS” or the “project”) on its existing Driver Solar site to ensure continued reliable electric service within Entergy Arkansas’s service area and to serve economic development opportunities.
What is the purpose of the project?
The purpose of this Project is to provide dispatchable capacity, reliability, and operational flexibility to Entergy Arkansas’ generation mix as a necessary component of Entergy Arkansas’ strategy to ensure continued reliable electric service within the company’s service area. The BESS enables Entergy Arkansas to meet near term capacity needs through a cost-effective solution that optimizes the existing Driver Solar facility and creating new operational flexibility.
What transmission infrastructure construction is needed?
This Project will not require any upgrades to the transmission system, nor will the project require any new transmission infrastructure.
Economic impact
This investment will help maintain reliability for existing customers and provide additional capacity to support economic development opportunities. Construction of the BESS is expected to generate approximately 50 temporary construction jobs as well as an estimated $1.9 million in property tax and an estimated $13.5 million in sales tax. These workers and vendors will be locally sourced where practicable. Local businesses such as restaurants, stores, service providers, and hotels will also benefit from the infusion of the construction jobs.
BESS Location Map
The Driver BESS will be located at the existing Driver Solar facility on land already owned by Entergy Arkansas.
Schedule overview
2nd quarter 2026 – 4th quarter 2026
Development activities and regulatory review
2nd quarter 2027 – 2nd quarter 2028
Construction window
2nd quarter 2028
Commercial operations
Next steps
- Construction phase – The proposed electrical facilities will be designed and constructed under the direction, supervision and design specifications of Entergy Arkansas. Vegetation management, electrical construction and final testing will be performed by pre-qualified electrical contractors in a sequential operation of surveying, clearing, structure erection, conductor installation, testing and clean-up. The first operation is to mobilize construction teams and equipment to the site, conduct detailed staking and surveying of the Project area, and establish access routes and temporary laydown yards to support construction activities. This includes confirming environmental and safety controls, installing temporary fencing, and preparing the area for vegetation clearing and initial civil work.
- Structure installation – Structure installation takes place in three phases: transporting, assembling, and erecting. Material is transported to each location where structures are assembled, as much as practical, on the ground; piles are then set according to the appropriate construction method based upon soil type. Once the structure is assembled, installing conductor is the next critical step. Many vehicles and items of equipment are required to install the conductor. As with vehicles and equipment associated with other construction phases, crews will exercise care to minimize impacts to the terrain and landowner premises.