Entergy seeks to boost economic development in Louisiana through renewable power expansion
Published by Abi Larkin,
Editorial Assistant
Energy Global,
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 13 March, the company filed a request with its regulator, the Louisiana Public Service Commission, for approval to add an additional 3 GW of solar power to its generation portfolio. This is on top of the nearly 225 MW of solar power the company requested earlier this month. In that regulatory filing, Entergy Louisiana sought approval for approximately 175 MW from a facility in Iberville Parish, Louisiana, the US, and approximately 49 MW from what would become the Sterlington solar facility in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana.
Collectively, 3225 MW 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 business, support expansion projects, and attract new companies on a global scale, but it is going to take meeting their operational and sustainability needs,” said Phillip May, Entergy Louisiana President and CEO. “Our latest request for up to 3 GW of renewable power, the largest such expansion request in state history, shows we are 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 am 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 3 GW 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 MW of renewable resources, including the Capital Region Solar facility, which began delivering power to the grid in October 2020. Along with nuclear generation, approximately 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 GW 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 modernisation of Entergy’s power generation portfolio, helping meet customers’ needs for cleaner, more efficient, and diverse energy solutions.
For more news and technical articles from the global renewable industry, read the latest issue of Energy Global magazine.
Energy Global's Winter 2022 issue
The Winter 2022 issue of Energy Global hosts an array of technical articles focusing on wind, solar, energy storage, geothermal, and more. This issue also features a regional report on the Australian renewables sector.
Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/solar/20032023/entergy-seeks-to-boost-economic-development-in-louisiana-through-renewable-power-expansion/
You might also like
Ossian completes essential wind data campaign
A campaign to gather more than two years’ worth of wind data crucial for the development of the Ossian floating offshore wind farm has been completed.