STUTTGART, Ark., May 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- State and local
leaders joined executives from NextEra Energy Resources (NYSE: NEE)
and Entergy Arkansas (NYSE: ETR) this morning to celebrate the
commissioning of Arkansas' largest
universal solar energy project – the Stuttgart Solar Energy
Center.
"Solar energy is good for Arkansans and good for our economy,"
said Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson. "Arkansas has many great natural resources.
It's wonderful we are now also utilizing the sun to provide clean
energy to the state and drive our economy forward."
The Stuttgart Solar Energy Center spans 475 acres, approximately
seven miles southeast of Stuttgart,
Ark. Construction lasted eight months and generated a
significant economic boost to Arkansas
County and the state, by creating hundreds of construction
jobs and stimulating the purchase of regional goods and services
from more than a dozen local vendors.
"We are pleased to work with our partners at Entergy to bring
the largest solar energy center in Arkansas online," said Armando Pimentel, president and CEO of NextEra
Energy Resources, the world's largest generator of renewable energy
from the wind and sun. "This solar energy project will provide
millions of dollars in additional tax revenue to Arkansas County and will generate
cost-effective, home-grown solar energy for Entergy customers for
years to come."
The facility features more than 350,000 photovoltaic solar
panels that convert the sun's energy into electricity. The solar
energy center has a capacity to generate 81 megawatts of
electricity, or enough to power more than 13,000 homes. A
subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources built the facility and will
own and operate it. The energy will serve Entergy Arkansas
customers under a 20-year power purchase agreement.
"Over our 105 years in business, Entergy Arkansas has generated
power with sawdust, water, coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear, and now
the sun," said Rick Riley, president
and CEO of Entergy Arkansas. "Through this investment with NextEra
Energy Resources, we are further diversifying our power generation
resource mix and providing Entergy Arkansas customers with access
to additional clean, renewable and affordable energy."
Over its operational life, the Stuttgart Solar Energy Center is
expected to generate nearly $8
million in additional revenue for Arkansas County, with much of that funding
going to help Arkansas County
Public Schools.
"We are already seeing the project's impacts in Arkansas County through new jobs and school
funding," said Bethany Hildebrand,
executive director and CEO of the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce. "We are
thrilled to host the state's largest solar facility and know it
will continue to provide benefits to our community."
NextEra Energy Resources
About NextEra Energy
Resources
NextEra Energy Resources, LLC (together with its affiliated
entities, "NextEra Energy Resources"), is a clean energy leader and
is one of the largest wholesale generators of electric power in the
U.S., with more than 19,000 megawatts of net generating capacity,
primarily in 32 states and Canada
as of year-end 2017. NextEra Energy Resources, together with its
affiliated entities, is the world's largest operator of renewable
energy from the wind and sun. The business operates clean,
emissions-free nuclear power generation facilities in New Hampshire, Iowa and Wisconsin as part of the NextEra Energy
nuclear fleet, which is one of the largest in the United States. NextEra Energy Resources,
LLC is a subsidiary of Juno Beach,
Florida-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE). For more
information, visit www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.
Entergy Arkansas
Entergy Arkansas provides electricity
to approximately 700,000 customers in 63 counties. Entergy Arkansas
is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation (NYSE: ETR), an integrated
energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and
retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power
plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating
capacity, including nearly 10,000 megawatts of nuclear power.
Entergy delivers electricity to 2.8 million utility customers in
Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of
approximately $11.5 billion and more
than 13,000 employees.
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SOURCE NextEra Energy Resources