By the time construction is finished in 2028, the new power station will stand as the first and newest plant that Entergy has built in 50 years. Located in rural Washington County, it actually replaces the current Gerald Andrus power plant, and will be built within a mile from the current one.
Representatives of the company, which provides power to portions of Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi, say the move from the older plant will present the state with newer, more reliable energy generation.
"We're experiencing historic economic growth in our state," said Haley Fisackerly, president of the company's Mississippi branch. "Investing in cleaner, more efficient power generation now will help us keep bills lower for customers than they otherwise would be in the future. When we save, so do our customers."
According to Entergy, the new, 754-megawatt facility will be capable of powering 385,000 homes in Mississippi. It also represents a move away from outdated end-of-life gas generation, which can produce high carbon emissions, to a relatively cleaner dual-fuel model.
Fisackerly says the new facility will be designed so that in the future, should they wish, it can support blended hydrogen as a fuel source, which can significantly reduce carbon emissions. He says there may also be an opportunity to construct carbon capture technology and infrastructure to transport it out of state.
Errick Simmons, Greenville’s Mayor, says it presents the city with an opportunity to look toward the future.
“This partnership with Entergy showcases Greeneville as a forward thinking city, ready to embrace modern solutions and technologies for growth, while addressing all of the needs for our residents and businesses.”
An estimated 300 jobs will be created during the construction phase of the project, according to Entergy, with an additional 21 full-time jobs once the project is completed and operational.
But the current Gerald Andrus facility, commissioned in 1975, employs 28 full-time workers, meaning that once completed, the new facility will actually represent a reduction of seven jobs.
Still, Washington County Board of Supervisors President Carl McGee says the investment will prove to be a boon to the county's economy.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves echoed Magee, and said continued investments such as the $1.2 billion directed toward the new power station can lay the groundwork for economic development throughout the state.
"This new facility will ensure that we can continue to attract new investment; to continue to attract professional opportunities. We will be able to provide the power that is necessary to power the jobs, not of the last 50 years, but of the next 50 years."