Overview
- The developers broke ground and announced the Google deal on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, starting construction of the project’s first two phases.
- Cypress Creek secured about $3.5 billion in financing in June to build the initial 1.6 GWdc of solar and 1.9 GWh of battery storage that Google has contracted to buy.
- The full three‑phase Steel River Energy Center is planned to reach 2.5 GWdc of solar and 2.9 GWh of storage by 2029 and will feed power into the regional grid rather than directly to a single site.
- Project suppliers and sourcing are largely U.S.‑based, with First Solar modules, LG Energy Solution Vertech batteries assembled in the U.S., NextPower trackers, and structural steel from local Arkansas mills.
- Developers say the build will create roughly 700 construction jobs per phase, generate an estimated $300 million in tax revenue over the project’s life, and include community funds such as Google’s $5 million energy affordability commitment.