Louisiana has the potential to see significant investment by new and emerging companies due to its unique access to infrastructure and skilled workforce. An imperative to attracting these opportunities is safe, reliable power – and increasingly important, access to renewable power. To do its part to protect the environment and help the state grow through economic development, Entergy Louisiana recently made the largest renewable power expansion request in state history.
On March 13, the company filed a request with its regulator, the Louisiana Public Service Commission, for approval to add an additional three gigawatts of solar power to its generation portfolio. This is on top of the nearly 225 megawatts of solar power the company requested earlier this month. In that regulatory filing, Entergy Louisiana sought approval for approximately 175 megawatts from a facility in Iberville Parish and approximately 49 megawatts from what would become the Sterlington Solar Facility in Ouachita Parish.
Collectively, 3,225 megawatts of solar power are in the approval queue for potential construction, development and placement on the grid through agreements with Entergy Louisiana, a major step forward in meeting the sustainability needs of its current and future customers.
"Like never before, our state has opportunity to retain businesses, support expansion projects and attract new companies on a global scale, but it's going to take meeting their operational and sustainability needs," said Phillip May, Entergy Louisiana president and CEO. "Our latest request for up to three gigawatts of renewable power, the largest such expansion request in state history, shows we're serious about not only protecting the environment by reducing our carbon footprint, but also continuing to be a major driver of economic development. This is not only a net-positive for our company and industries, but for the future of our state.
"I'm incredibly thankful to the countless local partners and officials who are helping bring projects such as these to the finish line. These are true partnerships that are formed for the betterment of Louisiana."
The individual resources that make up the three-gigawatt proposal would be constructed in Louisiana, meaning local communities and economies would benefit from job creation and additional tax revenues generated during construction of the facilities. In addition, further diversifying the company's generation portfolio will help protect all customers from the volatility of natural gas prices and other factors outside of Entergy's control.
Currently, Entergy Louisiana has approximately 280 megawatts 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 carbon-free resources.
These solar additions in Louisiana are consistent with Entergy Corporation's plans for as much as 15 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.
These projects are another milestone in the modernization of Entergy's power generation portfolio, helping meet customers' needs for cleaner, more efficient and diverse energy solutions.
