Google has expanded its partnership with Entergy Arkansas, adding a 440MW solar power purchase agreement for the entire capacity of Pattern Energy's Big Island solar plant in Mississippi County, plus support for up to 1.4GWh of battery energy storage by 2028. The storage component includes a 1,000MWh facility at the Driver Solar Project site in Mississippi County and a 400MWh facility near Hot Springs, both slated for completion in 2028. The deal also funds expansion of the Galet 500/230 kV substation and two 230kV transmission lines in West Memphis. Google will cover all associated costs, and the companies claim the arrangement will generate $2.1 billion in net benefits for Entergy Arkansas customers; Entergy Arkansas CEO Laura Landreaux said Google is "paying 100 percent of its power needs" while also contributing to the broader grid.
The structure of the deal, in which Google directly funds renewable generation, storage, and transmission infrastructure rather than relying on existing utility capacity, reflects a growing expectation by regulators that hyperscalers absorb their own grid costs rather than spread them across ratepayers. The Arkansas Public Service Commission previously rejected Entergy's initial PPA filing, making this revised arrangement a direct response to regulatory pressure and a potential precedent for how large-load data center deals are structured in states with active utility commissions.
Google funding renewable energy and grid upgrades for its West Memphis data center through an expanded Entergy Arkansas partnership is a concrete hyperscaler infrastructure investment story with direct US grid implications.