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Google is backing a major renewable energy development in Arkansas as rising electricity demand from data centers drives new investment in utility-scale power infrastructure across the United States.
The company has partnered with Cypress Creek Energy to begin construction of the Steel River Energy Center in Mississippi County, Arkansas. The solar and battery storage project is intended to strengthen regional power supply and support expanding energy needs.
The Steel River Energy Center is planned in three phases. The first two phases are set to add 1.6 gigawatts (GWdc) of solar generation and 1.9 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of battery storage to the regional electric grid.
When the project is fully completed in 2029, it is expected to deliver 2.5 GWdc of solar generation and 2.9 GWh of battery storage. The original article said that scale would make it one of the nation's largest combined solar and energy storage developments.
The facility is expected to generate enough electricity annually to serve more than 315,000 Arkansas homes.
Google's role includes serving as both an anchor investor and an energy offtaker for the project's initial phases.
Construction of the project will use structural steel manufactured entirely in the United States. The materials will come from U.S. Steel's Big River facility in Arkansas and be processed by PACO Steel.
According to Google, the construction phase is expected to support approximately 700 local jobs. Over the life of the project, it is also expected to generate an estimated $300 million in tax revenue.
Alongside the energy investment, Google also announced a $5 million commitment to community programs in Arkansas. Those programs will support energy affordability, residential weatherization, and energy efficiency improvements for schools across the state.
The original article said growing electricity demand from data centers is accelerating investment in utility-scale renewable energy infrastructure across the United States. It also said utility-scale renewable energy projects continue to drive demand for civil construction, electrical infrastructure, steel fabrication, and energy storage systems.
For construction owners, contractors, and developers, projects such as the Steel River Energy Center highlight what the source described as the growing intersection of data center expansion, domestic manufacturing, and grid modernization as utilities and technology companies invest in long-term energy capacity.
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