Arkansas Cypress Solar and Battery (Cypress Solar)
Entergy Arkansas generation resources
Entergy Arkansas is planning for a new generating asset to meet the needs of our customers and enable us to maintain an “all-of-the-above” generation portfolio. The proposed Cypress Solar would be located in Jefferson County, west and south of Wright, Arkansas, and east of the Arkansas River, bolstering reliability efforts and supporting anticipated load growth across Entergy Arkansas’s service territory.
Providing affordable, efficient and reliable power to industrial, commercial, and residential customers is what we do, meeting electricity needs today and planning ahead for years to come. With the addition of Cypress Solar, we’ll build upon our well-established portfolio of generating assets, currently including:
- Two nuclear generating units (Arkansas Nuclear One 1 and 2)
- Three coal-fueled generating units (White Bluff 1 and 2, Independence 1)
- Two hydroelectric plants (Remmel and Carpenter)
- One large natural gas-fueled steam electric generation station (Lake Catherine Unit 4)
- Three combined-cycle gas turbine generating facilities (Union Power Station, Hot Spring, Ouachita)
- Four solar facilities (Searcy Solar, Walnut Bend Solar, West Memphis Solar, Driver Solar).
Entergy Arkansas also purchases capacity and associated energy from the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station in Mississippi, has executed two Arkansas Public Service Commission-approved (APSC) purchase power agreements, or PPAs, with Stuttgart Solar, Chicot Solar, and Flat Fork Solar, and has APSC approval to add one new large renewable PPA (Forgeview Solar) to its portfolio. We also recently received APSC approval to build a 446-megawatt natural gas-fired combustion turbine, that will replace Lake Catherine Unit 4 when it deactivates.
Cypress Solar
Cypress Solar is a proposed solar and battery resource. The solar component will produce 600 MW of electricity, and the battery component will be capable of storing up to 350 MW of power. Additionally, Cypress Solar will be a flexible resource, capable of rapid starts and responding to short-term load changes in response to system needs. Cypress Solar has been designed and will be constructed in a way that supports customers’ sustainability goals. The solar and battery components are both emissions free resources.
Economic impact
Cypress Solar is expected to provide somewhere between 700 and 800 jobs during the peak of the construction phase. Entergy Arkansas anticipates sourcing these workers and vendors locally where practicable.
During the operational life of the resource, Entergy Arkansas expects to employ at least 10-15 full-time employees to operate the facility and outside services for project site maintenance like land management and vegetation control, which is expected to have a local impact. Local businesses such as restaurants, stores and hotels could also benefit indirectly from the infusion of construction workers and activity during the construction portion of the project. Entergy Arkansas will also continue to support the local community through the payment of property taxes as well as through financial contributions to local non-profit organizations as well as Entergy Arkansas employees’ volunteer hours.
Proposed location
Entergy Arkansas anticipates utilizing approximately 3,000 acres in Jefferson County along the east side of the Arkansas River near Wright, Arkansas. The solar panels will be located east (dry side) of the Arkansas River Levee. The proposed project will include a 500 kilovolt (kV) transmission line to transmit the electrical power from the solar facility to Entergy Arkansas’s existing electrical transmission network. Cypress Solar will be designed to avoid impacts to any natural and human resources, as well as other constraints to the extent practicable. See the following map of the property.
Schedule overview
3rd quarter 2025 – 1st quarter 2026
Development activities including resource assessment, environmental studies, interconnection studies, APSC regulatory proceeding, permitting, and start of construction
2nd quarter 2026 – 3rd quarter 2028
Full site construction
4th quarter 2028
Construction complete and operation begins
Project considerations
Entergy Arkansas will collaborate and communicate with community members and key leaders throughout this project. All final decisions regarding new facilities will be made only after considering public input. Feedback from our customers, area residents and community leaders is essential in developing an effective and efficient project plan. Entergy Arkansas welcomes any comments that you may have.
Virtual open house
Entergy Arkansas developed this webpage for the public to review the proposed project requirements. Entergy Arkansas anticipates filing for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need (CECPN) with the Arkansas Public Service Commission on or after August 29, 2025. Entergy Arkansas welcomes you to provide any feedback through a comment form found here. Please download and email the completed form to [email protected]. You may also call 501-213-0706 to provide feedback.
Notice to landowners
All landowners of record on or near the proposed project area will be notified by mail.
Several factors must be considered when embarking on a project of this scale, including:
- Construction costs – Construction costs are a major consideration in the design and approval of the project. Cypress Solar would utilize property rights already held by Entergy Arkansas or the project developer. The project area was historically used for agricultural purposes and will require minimum vegetation clearing or grading to prepare the land for the solar infrastructure. Existing access points and current infrastructure will be used to the extent possible, which along with minimizing clearing and grading, will reduce the overall cost of the plant.
- Transmission line and facilities – Cypress Solar would utilize an existing 500kV substation to connect to the transmission grid. Right-of-way for the 500kV Arkansas River crossing gen-tie line and the proposed 230kV line are secured through executed leases, easements, and authorizations granted from the US Army Corps of Engineers as part of the Nationwide 57 permit process.
- Aesthetic considerations and other environmental factors – Cypress Solar would be installed on green-field land, historically used for agricultural farming of corn, soybean and rice. The proposed footprint avoids impacts to wetlands and will adhere to typical setbacks from any identified cultural sites, protected species and their habitats, and residences. The project has also accounted for consideration of approximately 250 acres of pollinator habitat development within the leased acreage.
- Health and safety – Safety is the highest priority for Entergy Arkansas. In accordance with the requirements set forth in the National Electrical Safety Code, the company will construct and operate the proposed electrical facilities at its standard voltage design and will observe reasonable safety precautions to ensure public safety. Construction methods and activities in the field will also meet U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Organization requirements. In addition, Entergy Arkansas maintains and follows its own safety policies and procedures as part of the Entergy Enterprise Safety Standards.
- Regulatory and permitting – Entergy Arkansas will request a CECPN for Cypress Solar from the Arkansas Public Service Commission. The Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment – Division of Environmental Quality, as well as other federal and state agencies, require Entergy Arkansas to file for approval of various permits for construction of the proposed facility. Entergy Arkansas will apply for all necessary certifications and permits for Cypress Solar.
Next steps
Construction phase – Cypress Solar will be designed and constructed under the direction and supervision of Entergy Arkansas and consistent with state and federal law. Construction activities will include site preparation and installation of foundations, followed by the installation of modules, batteries, and auxiliary equipment/buildings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the project’s timeframe?
While this project will still need to be approved by the Arkansas Public Service Commission, we expect construction will end, and the project will be completed, in the fourth quarter of 2028.
Should I be concerned about safety issues?
Entergy Arkansas’ top priority is to have a safe, accident-free environment. Detailed on-site safety measures will be developed to meet the specific needs of the project, community and impacted areas.
Why Cypress Solar?
Solar energy with battery storage is reliable, abundant and affordable. Solar also allows Entergy Arkansas to diversify its resource portfolio and reduce its reliance on fuel.
How does solar work?
Solar panels are designed to capture the natural power of the sun and convert it into electricity. Solar photovoltaic cells were invented in 1954, but the energy crisis of the 1970’s was the first real deployment of solar panels for homes and businesses. As panel efficiency has increased with improved technology, costs have decreased rapidly. As the industry increases in size, economies of scale cause further reductions in the cost of solar.
Cypress Solar will have bifacial technology. What does that mean?
The facility’s solar panels will utilize industry-leading bifacial technology, which generates even more electricity at each panel than panels that have the photovoltaic (PV) cells only on the top side. Bifacial panels have PV cells on the top and bottom sides of the panel, and the ones on the bottom catch sunlight reflected from the ground.
How can I provide feedback about this project?
If you have any questions about the project, please email [email protected] or call 501-213-0706 and leave a detailed message.