This South Louisiana Solar Farm Is Expected to Begin Producing Power in 2025 – 10/12 Industry Report

In 2021, it was announced that DEMCO had entered into an agreement with NextEra Energy to build a 100 MW, $160 million solar farm in Tangipahoa Parish — the Amite Solar Energy Center.

The announcement was great news for renewable energy advocates in Louisiana, as the 1,278-acre solar farm is expected to produce clean, low-cost energy while also generating millions of tax dollars for Tangipahoa Parish during its operation.

Jeff Andry, DEMCO’s director of strategy and regulatory affairs, provided an update on the project at a Press Club of Baton Rouge meeting last week.

According to Andry, construction on the Amite Solar Energy Center officially began in March, and the solar farm is expected to begin producing power in April 2025. As of now, the site has been cleared and partially leveled, and piles have been installed in the ground.

“There are a lot of discussions about solar,” Andry said. “You can talk about climate change and land use issues, and those are conversations worth having, but I think the most important thing for us is that this project will provide our members with energy at a fixed price for 25 years. … There is no similar hedge against gas prices in the financial markets.”

Louisiana is well-positioned to be a leader when it comes to solar energy, Andry said. With about 216 days of sunshine a year, the state’s climate makes it an ideal place to produce solar energy.

“(Solar) is intermittent, but it’s actually relatively predictable, especially compared to wind,” Andry said. “And its production profile matches Louisiana’s summer load profile very well.”

Once connected to the utility grid, the Amite Solar Energy Center will begin providing DEMCO with up to 100 MW of solar energy. According to Louisiana Economic Development, 100 MW is enough to power about 20,000 homes and businesses per day.

DEMCO is a nonprofit electric cooperative that provides electricity to customers in a seven-parish region that includes Ascension, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Livingston, St. Helena, Tangipahoa and West Feliciana. A subsidiary of NextEra, the world’s largest producer of wind and solar energy, it will own and operate the Amite Solar Energy Center.