A solar-and-battery project in Mississippi County, Arkansas, is set to become one of the largest renewable energy facilities in the US.
The Steel River Energy Centre is being developed across approximately 11,000 leased acres of farmland. Its first two phases are expected to provide 1.6GW of solar generation alongside 1.9GWh of storage.
Google has agreed to purchase all electricity generated in the project’s initial phases, closely following the company’s recent solar deal with RWE in Oklahoma.
The project is expected to surpass California’s 875MW Edwards & Sanborn facility, currently recognised as the country’s largest solar project.
The deal comes as electricity demand rises sharply, driven by data centres and the expansion of AI. Solar-plus-storage projects can be delivered faster than conventional large-scale generation, with Steel River targeting full operation within a three-year construction period.
The project represents a major expansion of renewable generation in the US despite the Trump administration backing fossil fuels.
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