Entergy Arkansas plans to add about 2,600 megawatts of new, more fuel-efficient power generation and re-power roughly 1,600 megawatts of existing facilities over the next five years, the utility announced Thursday.
Regulatory filings with the Arkansas Public Service Commission indicate the projects could raise the average residential customer’s monthly bill by more than $20 once fully implemented. An average customer could see a 5.3% increase, or $7.09 per month, in the first year, growing to a 16.32% increase, or $21.85, by year five.
Entergy said the estimates do not reflect potential offsets such as new revenues or tax credits.
The plan, dubbed Next Generation Arkansas, was unveiled at a news conference at the state Capitol. Entergy says the initiative is designed to improve reliability, modernize the grid and support economic growth.
Major projects include the proposed 745-megawatt natural gas-fired Jefferson Power Station in Jefferson County, the 450-megawatt Ironwood Power Station at Lake Catherine in Hot Spring County, and the Cypress Solar project, a 600-megawatt solar facility paired with 350 megawatts of battery storage. Cypress Solar is part of Entergy’s partnership with Google to help power a planned $4 billion data center in West Memphis.
Entergy also plans to convert its White Bluff coal plant to natural gas and renew the operating license for the Arkansas Nuclear One plant near Russellville.
The utility credited the Generating Jobs Act of 2025 with allowing earlier cost recovery and faster regulatory approval. Entergy said it will continue working to keep rates below the national average, noting Arkansas customers currently pay less than the U.S. average for electricity.
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