Major Conway Solar Project To Be Operational This Year

A massive solar project that will generate enough electricity to power more than 21,400 homes in Conway will be operational this year. The solar farm, located in Happy, Arkansas, began construction in 2022.

The 135-megawatt farm — dubbed Conway Solar at Happy — was part of a 480-megawatt, $533 million announcement in 2022 that encapsulated several projects around the country by Lightsource BP, the owner and operator of Conway Solar at Happy. Lightsource BP is a jointventure involving BP, the oil and gas behemoth headquartered in London. BP acquired a large stake in the company in 2017 and rebranded it Lightsource BP.

Conway Corporation and Lightsource BP announced a longterm, power purchase agreement to develop Conway Solar at Happy in 2020. Lightsource BP will own and operate the facility and deliver the solar-generated power to Conway Corp customers.

“Our mission is to provide safe, affordable, reliable, innovative and environmentally sound service to our customers,” said Conway Corp CEO Bret Carroll. “This solar project checks all those boxes. It is a project that will have lasting impact on our community. We look forward to working with Lightsource BP to get the project under construction and delivering service to our customers.”

Construction of the solar farm created 200 jobs, according to Lightsource BP, most of those jobs filled by local workers.

Conway Solar at Happy will feature more than 300,000 solar panels across nearly 700 acres. It will lower Conway’s annual carbon footprint by 162,800 metric tons, the equivalent of about 35,000 cars.

“As the owner and operator of the Conway solar farm at Happy, we look forward to bringing economic benefits to the region, along with fostering long-term community partnerships,” said Lightsource BP CEO of the Americas Kevin Smith.