Google Covers Full Costs of Arkansas Data Center Power Project

Entergy has announced that Google will cover the full costs of building a new solar and battery facility in Arkansas, which will power one of its data centers. The project, called Cypress Solar, is expected to deliver about 2.5 gigawatts of new solar generation and 2.9 gigawatt-hours of battery storage.

The utility company Entergy has denied earlier reports that Google would only pay for a third of the cost needed to construct the facility. According to Entergy CEO Drew Marsh, Google is paying the full amount, which will be more than $2.1 billion over 20 years.

Marsh explained that while Google is covering its own costs associated with powering its data center, regular consumers are still paying for part of Cypress Solar's construction. This is because the facility will not only provide power to the data center but also to the broader grid. Entergy has said that customers are paying for about a third of the new charge on their bills, which increased by $5 in June.