Google has secured a power purchase agreement for one of America’s largest solar and energy storage projects under construction in Mississippi County, Arkansas.
The Steel River Energy Center near Wilson is being developed by California-based Cypress Creek Renewables. Cypress Creek secured $3.5 billion in financing for the solar project in June after buying the project from the original developer in March, reported the Arkansas Democrat Gazette.
The Steel River Energy Center will be constructed in two phases and will eventually provide 1.6 gigawatts of solar generation and another 1.9 gigawatts of battery storage for the grid. The project won’t be completed until 2029.
Google announced the deal this week as part of a ceremony in Wilson, Arkansas that marked the beginning of construction for the Steel River center.
“Steel River not only represents an important investment in Google’s clean energy commitments, but also in our commitment to Arkansas,” said Will Conkling, head of data center energy for Google. “This collaboration with Cypress Creek Energy will strengthen the grid and help ensure more reliable, affordable, and clean energy is available for businesses and communities throughout the state.”
Google’s website said, “What makes this project uniquely special is how it’s being built. Located in Mississippi County, the nation’s leading steel-producing county, the project will be constructed using 100% U.S.-made structural steel, locally sourced from U.S. Steel’s nearby Big River facility and manufactured at PACO Steel’s Arkansas plant.”
Clean energy deployment and economic growth go hand in hand. Projects like Steel River supported more than 1.4 million American jobs in 2025 and have created new opportunities for domestic manufacturing and suppliers across the country. Google’s growing U.S. clean energy needs have fueled demand for American-made steel, solar panels, trackers, batteries and other critical energy technologies, supporting the expansion of domestic industries and accelerating innovations.
The two firms, Google and Cypress Creek, also created an $8 million fund supporting local schools in Mississippi County.
Google is also the developer of a $4 billion data center in West Memphis. Construction started in October on the first of a possible five buildings. Google has a contract with Entergy Arkansas to help power the West Memphis campus. Details of the contract remain secret.
Google is also developing a data center at the Port of Little Rock,reported the Democrat-Gazette.
