Entergy Louisiana seeks 225 MW of new solar projects

To meet customers’ growing demands for renewable energy and support economic development in the state, Entergy Louisiana filed a request with the Louisiana Public Service Commission to approve the purchase, construction and operation of nearly 225 MW of new solar power resources.

Entergy Louisiana has selected two projects to source additional solar energy, including one in Iberville Parish that would account for approximately 175 MW and another in Ouachita Parish that would account for approximately 49 MW. If approved by the commission, Entergy Louisiana will be able to increase its renewable portfolio and help meet the growing demand for clean generation.

“This is another step toward not only reaching our own sustainability goals, but also toward helping our customers reach their sustainability goals,” said Phillip May, Entergy Louisiana president and CEO. “The desire for clean power is increasing and, at Entergy, we intend to meet that desire in a way that balances our ability to continue providing reliable and affordable power. We’re excited about the potential addition of nearly 225 MW and look forward to further expanding our portfolio of renewables as demanded by our stakeholders.”

Under Entergy Louisiana’s proposal before the commission, the company would enter a 20-year power purchase agreement with Coastal Prairie Solar, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources, for energy produced by its solar facility to be built in Iberville Parish. Also, under the proposal before the Commission, Entergy Louisiana would build and operate what would become the Sterlington Solar Facility in Ouachita Parish.

If approved, construction would tentatively begin in the spring of 2024 with the Iberville facility fully operational in late 2025. The Iberville facility would be followed by the Sterlington Solar Facility, which is expected to deliver clean power to the grid in early 2026.

The proposal also includes a request for authorization to include the new solar resources within the recently approved green tariff Geaux Green Option, or Rider GGO. This is a voluntary program that allows customers the opportunity to subscribe to, and get benefits from, renewable energy resources. Adding these resources to the Rider GGO resource portfolio will further assist Entergy Louisiana customers with meeting their environmental and sustainability goals.

Entergy Louisiana currently has approximately 280 MW of renewable resources, including the Capital Region Solar facility, which began delivering power to the grid in October 2020. Along with nuclear generation, nearly 25% of the company’s portfolio comes from renewable resources. In addition, the commission recently approved 475 MW of solar power. To meet the growing demands of our stakeholders, Entergy Louisiana has several thousand megawatts of renewable capacity in various stages of planning and procurement that will be brought to the commission for approval in the near future.

“We continue to work hand-in-hand with our local communities and elected officials across the state,” added May. “I want to thank those who have assisted us in bringing these sites to fruition, especially at the parish level and look forward to what’s on the horizon for our state.”

In June 2022, Entergy Corporation discussed plans for up to seven gigawatts of renewable resources by the end of 2025, and as much as 14 to 17 gigawatts of renewable resources by the end of 2031. The company previously announced a commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

News item from Entergy Louisiana