Power Supply Chain and Demand in Arkansas
MISO runs most of Arkansas's grid. 6,174 MW of new generation is planned in Arkansas, 3,522 MW of it under construction or built and awaiting operation, against 552 MW of planned retirements through 2030. 13 data centers are identified in the state. Residential electricity averaged 13.61¢/kWh in 2026 through July, +8.0% from a year earlier. Unemployment was 3.9% in August 2026, and construction employment is +28.5% against August 2019. The SAVRN trackers hold 13 local moratoria or restrictions for Arkansas across all statuses (8 in force) and 5 named projects on the Delay Watchlist.
What the build-out changed in Arkansas
Arkansas is building power faster than most states, and the jobs data shows it. Data processing and hosting jobs grew 136.8% from 2019 to 2025, 1st of 46 states that disclose the industry. Construction employment is +28.5% against August 2019, 5th of 48 states where BLS publishes it, well ahead of the national pace. Planned generation equals 32% of the power plants Arkansas runs today, one of the steepest build-outs in the country (7th). Households pay part of the cost: residential prices are +8.0% year to date, the 20th fastest increase of 51. Factory employment is the exception: manufacturing jobs are -2.2% against August 2019.
Then and now
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction jobs (Aug 2019 → Aug 2026) | 52.7k | 67.7k | ▲ 28.5% | 5th of 48 |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 8,265 | 10,708 | ▲ 29.6% | 12th of 48 |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,348 | 2,997 | ▲ 27.6% | 18th of 44 |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,673 | 3,961 | ▲ 136.8% | 1st of 46 |
| Unemployment rate (Feb 2020 → Aug 2026) | 3.6% | 3.9% | ▲ 0.3pts | — |
| Residential price, ¢/kWh (YTD Jul 2025 → 2026) | 12.60¢ | 13.61¢ | ▲ 8.0% | 20th of 51 |
| Generation fleet → planned additions | 19.1 GW operating | 6.2 GW planned | 32% of fleet | 7th of 51 |
Where Arkansas ranks among 51
1st = the most. Ranks cover every state and DC that publishes the figure.
Among its neighbors, Arkansas leads on data processing and hosting jobs, 2019 to 2025 (+136.8%), ahead of Mississippi (+52.4%).
County spotlight
Johnson County holds the most data centers on record in Arkansas (4), and its electrical contractor workforce changed -23.1% since 2019 to 20 jobs. The largest share of planned generation sits in Mississippi County: 2,250 MW, led by Cypress Creek Renewables (solar). The fastest-growing electrical trade market is Benton County, where contractor jobs grew 59.9% to 1,580.
Where Arkansas sits in the power system
- Grid operator
- MISO
- Operating capacity
- 19.1 GW
- Planned generation
- 6,174 MW
- Under construction or built
- 3,522 MW
- Data centers identified
- 13
- Data center load in queues
- —
- Unemployment, Aug 2026
- 3.9%
- Residential price change
- +8.0%
Neighboring states are shaded. Select one to open its page.
Arkansas, county by county
75 counties in Arkansas. Planned generation sits in 14 of them, data centers stand in 8, and local measures are on record in 6. Pick a layer, then select a county for its full record.
County leaders
Counties on record 41
| County | Data centers | Planned MW | Building MW | Lead developer | Electrical contractor jobs | Change 2019–25 | Local measures | Watchlist | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County | 4 | — | — | — | 20 | ▼ 23.1% | — | — | |
| Pulaski County | 2 | 5 MW | 5 MW | City of Little Rock - (AR) | 1,767 | ▲ 38.6% | 2 (0 in force) | 2 | |
| St. Francis County | 1 | 455 MW | 450 MW | Chalk Bluff Solar Energy LLC | 36 | ● 0.0% | — | — | |
| Washington County | 1 | — | — | — | 1,682 | ▲ 15.0% | — | — | |
| Benton County | 1 | — | — | — | 1,580 | ▲ 59.9% | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| White County | 1 | — | — | — | 401 | ▲ 371.8% | — | — | |
| Hempstead County | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Crittenden County | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Mississippi County | — | 2,250 MW | 2,250 MW | Cypress Creek Renewables | — | — | — | — | |
| Jefferson County | — | 1,996 MW | — | Entergy Arkansas LLC | 33 | ▼ 28.3% | — | — | |
| Hot Spring County | — | 467 MW | — | Entergy Arkansas LLC | 33 | — | — | — | |
| Lee County | — | 400 MW | 400 MW | Big Creek Solar LLC | — | — | — | — | |
| Carroll County | — | 183 MW | 183 MW | Nimbus Wind Farm LLC | — | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Arkansas County | — | 155 MW | 155 MW | Invenergy Services LLC | 28 | ▼ 31.7% | — | 1 | |
| Columbia County | — | 100 MW | — | Arkana Solar LLC | 29 | ● 0.0% | — | — | |
| Ashley County | — | 75 MW | — | Urban Grid Solar | — | — | — | — | |
| Franklin County | — | 69 MW | 69 MW | Arkansas Electric Coop Corp | — | — | — | — | |
| Prairie County | — | 10 MW | 5 MW | SR Des Arc, LLC | — | — | — | — | |
| Cross County | — | 5 MW | 5 MW | SR Cherry Valley, LLC | — | — | — | — | |
| Phillips County | — | 5 MW | — | SR West Helena, LLC | — | — | — | — | |
| Saline County | — | — | — | — | 572 | ▲ 5.1% | — | — | |
| Faulkner County | — | — | — | — | 404 | ▲ 15.4% | — | — | |
| Garland County | — | — | — | — | 382 | ▲ 12.0% | — | — | |
| Union County | — | — | — | — | 303 | ▲ 7.8% | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Sebastian County | — | — | — | — | 264 | ▲ 11.4% | — | — | |
| Greene County | — | — | — | — | 235 | ▲ 161.1% | — | — | |
| Pope County | — | — | — | — | 184 | ▼ 2.6% | — | — | |
| Baxter County | — | — | — | — | 169 | ▲ 30.0% | — | — | |
| Miller County | — | — | — | — | 115 | ▼ 10.9% | — | — | |
| Lonoke County | — | — | — | — | 102 | ▼ 1.0% | — | — | |
| Crawford County | — | — | — | — | 68 | ● 0.0% | — | — | |
| Madison County | — | — | — | — | 67 | ▲ 139.3% | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Yell County | — | — | — | — | 56 | ▲ 16.7% | — | — | |
| Polk County | — | — | — | — | 36 | — | — | — | |
| Cleburne County | — | — | — | — | 24 | ▲ 26.3% | — | — | |
| Randolph County | — | — | — | — | 17 | — | — | — | |
| Sharp County | — | — | — | — | 15 | ▼ 6.2% | — | — | |
| Marion County | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | — | — | |
| Sevier County | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Independence County | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Grant County | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
Every county in Arkansas 75
Each county has its own page: power plants, utilities and prices, jobs since 2019, data centers, local rules and its neighbors.
Cities and towns on record 12
| City or town | County | Data centers | Local measures | Watchlist | Latest record | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarksville | Johnson County | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Little Rock | Pulaski County | 2 | 1 (0 in force) | — | Data center moratorium (failed) Failed / vetoed | |
| Fayetteville | Washington County | 1 | 1 (1 in force) | — | Conditional-use permit and siting rules for data centers In force | |
| Bentonville | Benton County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Forrest City | St. Francis County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Hope | Hempstead County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Searcy | White County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| West Memphis | Crittenden County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| City of Harrison | Boone County | — | 1 (0 in force) | 1 | City of Harrison data center moratorium (failed) Failed / vetoed | |
| Little Rock Board of Directors | — | — | 1 (0 in force) | — | Little Rock Board of Directors (hyperscale data center moratorium measure) data center moratorium (pause) Paused | |
| North Little Rock | Pulaski County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | Conditional-use zoning rules for data center campuses In force | |
| Russellville | Pope County | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | Six-month data center moratorium In force |
Data center counts come from every facility on the SAVRN Data Center Map, counted in the county and the city or community where each building physically stands (Census boundaries), not its mailing address. Jurisdictions appear as the Moratorium Tracker records them.
Arkansas, from generation to the household bill
1Grid operator
- Peak load 2025
- 121 GW
- Peak load forecast 2035
- 163 GW
2Generation pipeline
- Operating capacity
- 19.1 GW
- Planned, all types
- 6,174 MW
- Under construction or built
- 3,522 MW
- Planned gas
- 1,357 MW
- Planned retirements 2026–30
- 552 MW
- Net firm additions derived
- 2,969 MW
3Data center demand
- Data centers identified
- 13
- Operators
- 7
- Load in tracked queues
- —
- Utility large-load projects
- 2
- Commercial sales, YTD change
- -0.2%
- Industry share of state GDP
- 1.9%
4Jobs and pay
- Unemployment, Aug 2026
- 3.9% (-0.3 pts y/y)
- Construction jobs vs 2019
- +28.5%
- Manufacturing jobs vs 2019
- -2.2%
- Electrical contractor jobs 2019–25
- +29.6%
- Electrician median pay
- $49,070
- Electrician ÷ cashier pay
- 1.77×
5Household bill
- Residential price, YTD Jul 2026
- 13.61¢/kWh
- Change vs YTD 2025
- +8.0%
- All-sector price change
- +5.2%
- Total retail sales change
- +1.9%
6Policy friction
- State measures on record
- 3
- Local measures (in force)
- 13 (8)
- Watchlist projects
- 5
- Lawsuits tracked
- 0
- Announced capital, disclosed
- $10.6B
- Dedicated tax incentive
- Yes
Planned power plants in Arkansas
Every planned generator in Arkansas in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, by technology, then the 15 largest units. Under construction or built covers status codes U, V and TS.
| Technology | Units | Planned MW | Under construction or built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar | 16 | 3,509 MW | 2,520 MW |
| Natural gas | 4 | 1,357 MW | 69 MW |
| Battery storage | 4 | 1,100 MW | 750 MW |
| Wind | 1 | 183 MW | 183 MW |
| Other | 3 | 26 MW | — |
Largest planned generators
| Plant | County | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas Cypress Solar Station | Jefferson | Solar Photovoltaic | 600 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | Entergy Arkansas LLC |
| Steel River Solar Phase 1 | Mississippi | Solar Photovoltaic | 500 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2028 | Cypress Creek Renewables |
| Steel River Solar Phase 3 | Mississippi | Solar Photovoltaic | 500 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2030 | Cypress Creek Renewables |
| Steel River Solar Phase 2 | Mississippi | Solar Photovoltaic | 500 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2029 | Cypress Creek Renewables |
| Jefferson Power Station | Jefferson | Natural Gas Fired Combined Cycle | 478 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | Entergy Arkansas LLC |
| Ironwood Power Station | Hot Spring | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 467 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Entergy Arkansas LLC |
| Chalk Bluff Solar | St Francis | Solar Photovoltaic | 450 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Chalk Bluff Solar Energy LLC |
| Big Creek Solar LLC | Lee | Solar Photovoltaic | 400 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Big Creek Solar LLC |
| Arkansas Cypress Solar Station | Jefferson | Batteries | 350 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | Entergy Arkansas LLC |
| Jefferson Power Station | Jefferson | Natural Gas Fired Combined Cycle | 342 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | Entergy Arkansas LLC |
| Steel River Solar Phase 3 | Mississippi | Batteries | 250 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2030 | Cypress Creek Renewables |
| Steel River Solar Phase 1 | Mississippi | Batteries | 250 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2028 | Cypress Creek Renewables |
| Steel River Solar Phase 2 | Mississippi | Batteries | 250 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2029 | Cypress Creek Renewables |
| Lion Solar | Jefferson | Solar Photovoltaic | 200 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | Lion Solar LLC |
| Nimbus Wind Farm | Carroll | Onshore Wind Turbine | 183 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | Nimbus Wind Farm LLC |
What the Arkansas build-out runs on
Who is building generation in Arkansas, which manufacturers and contractors have a plant, expansion or contract recorded here, and how long the critical equipment takes to arrive.
Developers and owners with planned generation
| Developer or owner | Units | Planned MW | Building MW | Main technology | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cypress Creek Renewables | 6 | 2,250 MW | 2,250 MW | Battery storage | 1 |
| Entergy Arkansas LLC | 5 | 2,237 MW | — | Natural gas | 2 |
| Chalk Bluff Solar Energy LLC | 1 | 450 MW | 450 MW | Solar | 1 |
| Big Creek Solar LLC | 1 | 400 MW | 400 MW | Solar | 1 |
| Lion Solar LLC | 1 | 200 MW | — | Solar | 1 |
| Nimbus Wind Farm LLC | 1 | 183 MW | 183 MW | Wind | 1 |
| Invenergy Services LLC | 1 | 155 MW | 155 MW | Solar | 1 |
| Arkana Solar LLC | 1 | 100 MW | — | Solar | 1 |
| Urban Grid Solar | 1 | 75 MW | — | Solar | 1 |
| Arkansas Electric Coop Corp | 1 | 69 MW | 69 MW | Natural gas | 1 |
| Maynard Hydroelectric LLC | 3 | 26 MW | — | Other | 1 |
| City of Little Rock - (AR) | 1 | 5 MW | 5 MW | Solar | 1 |
| SR Cherry Valley, LLC | 1 | 5 MW | 5 MW | Solar | 1 |
| SR Des Arc, LLC | 1 | 5 MW | 5 MW | Solar | 1 |
| SR Forrest City, LLC | 1 | 5 MW | — | Solar | 1 |
Manufacturers and contractors with a recorded Arkansas footprint 1
| Tier | Company | Segment | What the record says | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grid equipment OEM | Eaton | Switchgear, transformers, modular power | $242+ million North Little Rock, AR modular enclosure plant, 1,200 jobs |
Order-by check derived
6 of the 8 planned units of 50 MW or more in Arkansas that are not yet under construction (2,312 of 2,612 MW) are past the date their step-up transformer had to be ordered to meet the planned in-service date, and 3 gas units are (1,287 MW) past the turbine order date as well. These units hold their schedules only if the equipment is already on order.
| Plant | Technology | MW | Planned in service | Transformer order-by | Turbine order-by | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas Cypress Solar Station | Solar | 600 MW | Jan 2029 | Dec 2025 | — | Entergy Arkansas LLC |
| Jefferson Power Station | Natural gas | 478 MW | Nov 2029 | Oct 2026 | Nov 2024 | Entergy Arkansas LLC |
| Ironwood Power Station | Natural gas | 467 MW | Jul 2028 | Jun 2025 | Jul 2023 | Entergy Arkansas LLC |
| Arkansas Cypress Solar Station | Battery storage | 350 MW | Jan 2029 | Dec 2025 | — | Entergy Arkansas LLC |
| Jefferson Power Station | Natural gas | 342 MW | Nov 2029 | Oct 2026 | Nov 2024 | Entergy Arkansas LLC |
| Fairview Solar (AR) | Solar | 75 MW | Dec 2027 | Nov 2024 | — | Urban Grid Solar |
Lead times, OEM backlogs and the national generation and grid contractors are on the national supply chain section.
Data center and large-load demand in Arkansas
13 data centers run by 7 operators are identified in Arkansas. The full list by city is on the Arkansas Data Center Map page. Utilities report 2 large customer projects here to EEI.
| Utility | Customer or type | MW stated | Investment stated | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entergy Arkansas | 600 MW | $4 billion | ||
| Entergy Arkansas | AVAIO Digital | 150 MW | $6 billion |
The Arkansas jobs report, and who the build-out employs
Payroll employment, August 2026 (preliminary)
| Industry | Jobs | Change vs Aug 2025 | Change vs Aug 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total nonfarm | 1,348.5k | ▲ 0.6% | ▲ 7.4% (+93.1k) |
| Construction | 67.7k | ▲ 2.3% | ▲ 28.5% (+15.0k) |
| Manufacturing | 158.8k | ▲ 0.1% | ▼ 2.2% (-3.5k) |
| Mining and logging | 4.8k | ● 0.0% | ▼ 18.6% (-1.1k) |
| Retail trade | 145.1k | ▲ 1.3% | ▲ 6.7% (+9.1k) |
Power and data industries, 2019 to 2025
| Industry | Jobs 2019 | Jobs 2025 | Change | Average pay 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data processing and hosting | 1,673 | 3,961 | ▲ 136.8% | $118,347 |
| Electrical contractors | 8,265 | 10,708 | ▲ 29.6% | $68,677 |
| Power and communication line construction | 2,348 | 2,997 | ▲ 27.6% | $80,360 |
| Electric power generation, transmission, distribution | — | 6,254 | — | $130,738 |
| Transformer manufacturing | — | not disclosed | — | — |
Pay ladder, May 2025
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual pay | Multiple of cashier pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cashiers | 28,270 | $27,670 | 1.00× |
| Fast food and counter workers | 35,660 | $26,250 | 0.95× |
| Retail salespersons | 35,510 | $29,270 | 1.06× |
| All occupations | 1,303,630 | $43,630 | 1.58× |
| Construction laborers | 10,650 | $37,630 | 1.36× |
| Welders | 6,150 | $47,970 | 1.73× |
| HVAC mechanics | 4,960 | $48,110 | 1.74× |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | 3,370 | $48,660 | 1.76× |
| Electricians | 7,500 | $49,070 | 1.77× |
| Power plant operators | 220 | $97,760 | 3.53× |
| Power-line installers | 1,510 | $81,450 | 2.94× |
| Construction supervisors | 6,590 | $61,230 | 2.21× |
| Electrical engineers | 900 | $96,860 | 3.50× |
County-level contractor jobs and pay are in the county record above.
What the data center industry adds to Arkansas
PwC figures are modeled estimates commissioned by the industry.
The rules and the pipeline in Arkansas
State measures 3
| Bill | Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HB 1444 | TO AMEND THE SALES AND USE TAX EXEMPTION FOR DATA CENTERS. | Proposed | 2025-04 | |
| HB 1476 | TO CREATE A SALES AND USE TAX EXEMPTION FOR ELECTRICITY SOLD TO A DATA CENTER; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. | Failed / vetoed | 2023-05 | |
| HB 1654 | TO PROVIDE SALES AND USE TAX EXEMPTIONS FOR DATA CENTERS; AND TO PROVIDE A SALES AND USE TAX EXEMPTION FOR DATA CENTER EQUIPMENT, DATA CENTER COSTS | Failed / vetoed | 2023-04 |
Delay Watchlist projects 5
| Project | Location | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jones Eagle / Jones Digital DeWitt Crypto Data Center | DeWitt, Arkansas County | active litigation temporary block | — | ||
| AVAIO Data Center Project (Pulaski County) | Pulaski County | moratorium exemption rejected | — | ||
| Grant County Data Center FOIA Dispute | Grant County | active litigation records dispute | — | ||
| Green Digital LLC City of Harrison | City of Harrison | cancelled | — | ||
| AVAIO Digital Pulaski County Quorum Court (data center moratorium ordinance, failed on clerk miscount), AR | Pulaski County Quorum Court (data center moratorium ordinance, failed on clerk miscount), AR | denied | — |
Local moratoria and restrictions (13) appear by county and city in the county-by-county section. Counts include every status in the weekly tracker feeds as of October 5, 2026. The Arkansas Data Center Map page counts only active local pauses and delayed or blocked projects as of its September 2 rebuild, so its figures are lower. The difference is one of definition and date.
Arkansas's neighbors
Arkansas power, answered from the record
How much new power generation is planned in Arkansas?
EIA's August 2026 inventory lists 6,174 MW of planned generators in Arkansas, 3,522 MW of it under construction or built. By capacity the pipeline is solar 57%, natural gas 22%, battery storage 18%. The largest single unit is Arkansas Cypress Solar Station (600 MW, Entergy Arkansas LLC). Owners plan to retire 552 MW from 2026 to 2030.
Who runs the power grid in Arkansas?
MISO serves most of Arkansas as the regional wholesale market and grid operator. No data center load is tracked in its queues yet.
Is the build-out creating trade jobs in Arkansas?
Construction employment is +28.5% against August 2019. Electrical contractor jobs went from 8,265 in 2019 to 10,708 in 2025 (+29.6%, 12th in the country).
Is planned generation in Arkansas on schedule?
6 of 8 planned units of 50 MW or more not yet under construction are past the latest date to order a step-up transformer (more than 160 weeks) for their planned in-service date, and 3 gas units are past the turbine order date (about five years). They hold schedule only if equipment is already on order.
Are electricity prices rising in Arkansas?
Residential electricity averaged 13.61¢/kWh from January to July 2026, +8.0% on a year earlier, the 20th fastest increase of 51. Commercial sales, the class that includes data centers, changed -0.2%.
Which counties in Arkansas have the most planned generation?
By planned nameplate capacity: Mississippi County (2,250 MW), Jefferson County (1,996 MW), Hot Spring County (467 MW).
Which utilities report large-load projects in Arkansas?
Utilities report 2 large customer projects in Arkansas to EEI, including Entergy Arkansas.
Does Arkansas have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 3 state-level measures (0 enacted) and 13 local moratoria or restrictions in Arkansas, 8 of them in force, 29th most in the country.
Arkansas across the SAVRN trackers
Sources for this page
- BEA state GDP via FRED
- BLS LAUS
- BLS OEWS
- BLS QCEW
- BLS State Employment (CES)
- EEI large customer projects
- EIA Electric Power Monthly
- EIA-860M (Aug 2026)
- NCSL
- PwC for the Data Center Coalition
- SAVRN Capital Atlas
- SAVRN Data Center Map
- SAVRN Delay Watchlist
- SAVRN Grid Operator Watchlist
- SAVRN Moratorium Tracker
- U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundaries (via us-atlas)
Every figure links to its original source through the Sources buttons. Values marked derived are calculated from reported figures.