Entergy Arkansas has announced Next Generation Arkansas, a comprehensive long-term strategy aimed at strengthening grid reliability, expanding energy supply, supporting economic growth, and keeping electricity affordable across the state, with a significant emphasis on solar power and renewable energy integration.
The plan is designed to prepare Arkansas for rapidly growing electricity demand driven by population growth, industrial expansion, and increasing weather-related reliability challenges. According to Entergy Arkansas President and CEO Laura Landreaux, the initiative will modernize the power system while ensuring customers continue to benefit from low and predictable electricity costs.
A key pillar of Next Generation Arkansas is the expansion of clean and renewable energy. Entergy Arkansas plans to invest in approximately 2,600 MW of new generation capacity over the next five years, pending regulatory approvals. This includes 600 MW of solar power paired with 350 MW of battery energy storage at the proposed Arkansas Cypress facility in Jefferson County, expected to come online in 2028. The solar-plus-storage project is intended to deliver clean electricity while reducing fuel costs for customers and improving grid flexibility.
In addition to new solar capacity, the company plans to repower and upgrade existing facilities, invest in more efficient natural gas generation, and extend the operating license of the 1,800 MW Arkansas Nuclear One plant, ensuring a balanced “all-of-the-above” energy mix that supports reliability and decarbonisation goals.
Beyond generation, Entergy Arkansas is launching one of its most ambitious grid reliability programmes to date, targeting a 30% reduction in power outages through advanced grid technologies, increased vegetation management, and infrastructure upgrades. These measures are expected to enhance the integration of renewable energy while improving resilience against extreme weather events.
The plan also aligns with Arkansas’s broader economic development strategy. Entergy Arkansas estimates that projects such as the Ironwood Power Station, Jefferson Power Station, and the Arkansas Cypress solar and storage facility could create around 1,860 construction jobs, dozens of permanent roles, and generate more than $105 million in local and state tax revenue by 2030.
Despite large-scale investments, Entergy Arkansas emphasized its commitment to affordability. The utility’s electricity rates remain 22% below the national average, and the company plans to leverage new technologies, innovative rate structures, and energy efficiency programmes to help customers manage bills as renewable capacity expands.
With Next Generation Arkansas, Entergy Arkansas aims to deliver a more resilient, cleaner, and future-ready power system—positioning solar energy and renewables as central to the state’s long-term energy security and economic growth.
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