SHREVEPORT, La. (December 15, 2022) – Southwestern Electric Power Co., an American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) company, today announced regulatory approval was received on a power purchase agreement (PPA) to add 72.5 megawatts (MW) of solar energy. The facility will be SWEPCO’s first solar energy resource.
SWEPCO announced plans in February 2022 for the project – named Rocking R Solar Facility. The Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) approved the proposal in September, followed by approval from the Arkansas Public Service Commission (APSC) in November. Rocking R is to be constructed by D.E. Shaw Renewable Investments (DESRI) and will be located in SWEPCO’s service territory, north of Shreveport, La.
“The Rocking R solar facility will provide more efficient and affordable energy to our customers at a fixed price unaffected by fluctuating fuel prices,” said Malcolm Smoak, SWEPCO president and chief operating officer. “This is a benefit to customers and our communities, as the addition of clean, renewable energy will help make us more competitive for economic development opportunities.”
SWEPCO’s long-term strategy calls for more than one-third of its accredited capacity to be satisfied with wind and solar resources. Currently, SWEPCO’s resource mix includes 21% wind, 39% natural gas and 40% coal/lignite. The company added 809 MW of wind energy to its generation mix with the March 2022 completion of the third and largest wind facility located at the North Central Energy Facilities in Oklahoma.
In May, SWEPCO announced plans to add 999 MW of renewable energy by the end of 2025. The projects, subject to regulatory approval, consist of one solar and two wind facilities to be located in Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma.
About Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO)
SWEPCO, an American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) company, serves more than 547,800 customers in Northwest and Central Louisiana, Northeast Texas and the Texas Panhandle, and Western Arkansas. SWEPCO’s headquarters are in Shreveport, La. News releases and other information about SWEPCO can be found at SWEPCO.com. Connect with us at Facebook.com/SWEPCO, Twitter.com/SWEPCOnews, Instagram.com/swepco, Youtube.com/SWEPCOtv and LinkedIn.com/company/swepco.
About American Electric Power (AEP)
American Electric Power, based in Columbus, Ohio, is powering a cleaner, brighter energy future for its customers and communities. AEP’s approximately 16,700 employees operate and maintain the nation’s largest electricity transmission system and more than 224,000 miles of distribution lines to safely deliver reliable and affordable power to 5.5 million regulated customers in 11 states. AEP also is one of the nation’s largest electricity producers with approximately 31,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including more than 7,100 megawatts of renewable energy. The company’s plans include growing its renewable generation portfolio to approximately 50% of total capacity by 2030. AEP is on track to reach an 80% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from 2005 levels by 2030 and has committed to achieving net zero by 2045. AEP is recognized consistently for its focus on sustainability, community engagement, and diversity, equity and inclusion. AEP’s family of companies includes utilities AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana, east Texas and the Texas Panhandle). AEP also owns AEP Energy, which provides innovative competitive energy solutions nationwide. For more information, visit aep.com.