Meta and EDP Renewables Seal 250‑MW Solar Deal in Arkansas, Total Procurement Hits 545 MW

*TL;DR: Meta and EDP Renewables have locked in a long‑term power purchase agreement for a 250‑MW solar project in southeast Arkansas, raising their combined renewable procurement to 545 MW and delivering over $25 million to Chicot County.

Context Meta is expanding its renewable energy footprint to match the power demand of its AI and data‑center operations across the United States. The company has been using long‑term power purchase agreements—contracts that lock in a fixed price for electricity from a specific project—to secure clean power for its growing infrastructure.

Key Facts EDP Renewables North America and Meta signed a power purchase agreement for the Cypress Knee Solar project, a 250‑megawatt facility slated for Chicot County, Arkansas. The agreement marks the third renewable partnership between the two firms, pushing their total procured capacity to 545 MW. The project is expected to begin commercial operations by 2028, with EDP Renewables indicating that construction could start as early as next year.

The Cypress Knee Solar plant will be financed in part through an Industrial Revenue Bond, a low‑interest loan mechanism that allows the project to generate more than $25 million in additional funding for Chicot County over a 30‑year lifespan. This funding will flow from tax revenue and infrastructure investments tied to the solar farm.

Meta’s broader energy strategy includes a recent 2.1‑gigawatt renewable portfolio with NextEra Energy and a 5.2‑gigawatt natural‑gas supply for its Hyperion data center in Louisiana. The Arkansas solar deal complements these efforts by adding clean, utility‑scale generation close to the data‑center corridor that straddles the Arkansas‑Louisiana border.

What It Means The agreement strengthens Meta’s ability to claim 100 percent renewable electricity for its annual consumption, a key metric for corporate sustainability reporting. For EDP Renewables, the deal expands its U.S. solar pipeline and demonstrates the viability of large‑scale projects financed through industrial bonds.

Chicot County stands to benefit from a steady stream of public‑sector revenue, which can support local services and infrastructure upgrades. The project also underscores a growing trend: technology firms are locking in long‑term renewable contracts to hedge against volatile energy markets and to meet the massive power needs of AI‑driven workloads.

Looking ahead, watch for the start of construction on Cypress Knee Solar and any subsequent renewable agreements Meta may announce as it scales its data‑center footprint nationwide.