LITTLE ROCK, Ark., June 29, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Clarksville Light & Water Company has partnered with Scenic Hill Solar to build Arkansas's largest solar power plant that provides power for a municipal utility. Expected to be on-line by mid-2018, the 6.5 Megawatt DC (5 MW AC) solar power plant will be Arkansas's 3^rd-largest solar power plant.

"The effort is designed to position Clarksville, Arkansas as a town with the quality of life of a small town, but one that can think and do big things," said Clarksville Light & Water Company General Manager John Lester. "We are delighted that this project will save our customers approximately $500,000 annually while growing our existing renewable generation supply portfolio with what will be our first locally-based power generation resource."

"During those times of day when both our hydro and solar resources are producing power, Clarksville will be producing half its power from renewable energy sources," continued Lester. "We're making Clarksville an example that small towns can be prepared to take advantage of what the future holds for all of us."

Scenic Hill Solar will build, own and operate the solar power plant on land leased from Clarksville Light & Water Company. Clarksville Light & Water Company will purchase the solar plant's power according to the terms of a 30-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). 

The solar power plant will:

• Produce over 11,000,000 kWh of electricity in the first year of operation and produce over 305,000,000 kWh of electricity over the 30-year term of the PPA
• Produce enough clean electricity to satisfy over 25 percent of Clarksville's residential electricity consumption
• Contain over 20,000 solar modules
• Utilize a single-axis tracking system to follow the sun and maximize power production
• Occupy over 40 acres of land bordered by Main Street and Clark Road and be visible from Interstate 40
• Add over $10 million of economic development to Clarksville
• Reduce carbon emissions by over 215,000 metric tons which is the equivalent of: driving over 516 million fewer passenger car miles or eliminating the burning of over 229 million pounds of coal or planting over 5.5 million trees.

Bill Halter, CEO of Scenic Hill Solar stated, "We are delighted by the leadership and foresight of our partner, Clarksville Light & Water Company.  This leading-edge project proves that electric utilities can simultaneously lower costs for their customers, provide clean and sustainable energy, and provide economic development for their communities. Clarksville Light & Water Company is leading the way into the 21^st Century Economy for their community."

"This solar power plant is the most recent example of our forward-thinking plans to take advantage of technological advances, said Lester. "This solar project dovetails nicely with the fiber optic network we're now constructing that is capable of multi-gigabit speeds so Clarksville will be equipped to take advantage of changes being created by the Internet's evolution. Combined, the solar and telecommunications projects are creating an infrastructure in Clarksville for the 21^st Century economy."

About Clarksville Light & Water, Co (CLW): CLW, founded in 1913, is a municipally-owned utility that operates under a Utility Commission form of governance and as political sub-division of the city or Clarksville, Arkansas. From the beginning, it has been focused on serving the community by providing reliable and modern utility infrastructure for the community positioned for economic growth at affordable rates. Its utilities include a 61 MW peak electric system, 16 MGD water plant, 2.5 MDG Wastewater Treatment facility and recently has constructed a high bandwidth, high capacity fiber optic utility with the capability of delivering data at multi-gigabit speeds.

About Scenic Hill Solar:  Scenic Hill Solar provides commercial, industrial, government, and utility clients clean electricity, reduced energy prices and long-term electricity price certainty by developing client specific solar energy plans. Scenic Hill Solar provides clients either lower priced electricity under contract or turnkey delivery of solar power plants, depending on our clients' specific needs. Scenic Hill Solar Headquarters are in Little Rock, AR.

Visit the company online at www.ScenicHillSolar.com. Scenic Hill Solar's CEO is former Arkansas Lieutenant Governor Bill Halter: www.ScenicHillSolar.com/billhalter.

SOURCE Scenic Hill Solar

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http://www.scenichillsolar.com