MANY MINDEDGoogle anchors a 2.5 GW Arkansas solar-and-storage build
Google announced a deal with Cypress Creek Energy for the Steel River Energy Center, a solar and storage project that broke ground in Mississippi County, Arkansas. As planned, it will deliver 2.5 GW of generation and 2.9 GWh of battery storage across three phases, with the first two phases — 1.6 GW and 1.9 GWh — coming online first and the full facility expected in 2029. Google is acting as anchor investor and offtaker and has signed a power purchase agreement for the first two phases, calling it the largest solar and storage project in its portfolio to date.
The project carries local commitments: an estimated 700 construction jobs per phase, about $300 million in local tax revenue over its life, $5 million from Google for local energy-affordability efforts and schools, and $3 million in community investment from Cypress Creek. Cypress Creek's CEO said the panels are made entirely in the U.S. with nearly all steel from local facilities.
Why it moves abundance: hyperscaler demand is now underwriting utility-scale clean generation, and that offtake certainty is part of why solar and storage made up 91% of new U.S. capacity in Q1 2026. More firmed clean power on the grid pushes electricity supply up and, over time, costs down.
The caveats are worth keeping. Google did not disclose its investment or offtake terms, and the generation, storage, and completion figures are targets rather than built capacity. The context also cuts both ways: Google's 2025 carbon footprint was 18% higher than 2024. Watch whether the later phases actually get built.
Source: Utility Dive