---
title: "Entergy promised transparency on Google's $600 million Arkansas deal, then filed it blacked out"
description: "Entergy's release promised transparency and its filing delivered black ink: the amended Google contract asks regulators to waive disclosure of the payments, rates and termination fee behind a $2.1 billion savings claim, while Arkansas legislators revolt over the financing law in the same week."
publisher: "The Inference"
section: "Power"
published: 2026-10-21T15:22:50.639Z
modified: 2026-10-21T15:22:50.639Z
canonical: https://theinference.org/article/entergy-promised-transparency-on-google-s-600-million-arkansas-deal-then-filed-it-blacked-out
language: en
keywords: "Entergy, Google, Data Centers, Utilities, Regulation, Arkansas"
---

# Entergy promised transparency on Google's $600 million Arkansas deal, then filed it blacked out

> Entergy's release promised transparency and its filing delivered black ink: the amended Google contract asks regulators to waive disclosure of the payments, rates and termination fee behind a $2.1 billion savings claim, while Arkansas legislators revolt over the financing law in the same week.

The press release came first. On October 19 [Entergy](https://theinference.org/markets/companies/entergy) Arkansas announced that [Google would fund roughly $600 million of batteries, solar and transmission for its expanding West Memphis data center](https://theinference.org/article/entergy-puts-google-s-600-million-arkansas-grid-build-on-google-s-tab-promising-2-1-billion-of-savings), that the new resources would not touch the Generating Arkansas Jobs Act rider, and that [the filing would follow the commission's transparency recommendations](https://www.marketscreener.com/news/entergy-arkansas-announces-enhanced-partnership-at-google-west-memphis-campus-delivering-at-least-ce785cdbdc80f42d) [4][5].

A day later [the amended application landed at the Arkansas Public Service Commission](https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2026/oct/20/entergy-files-heavily-redacted-amended/) with the numbers blacked out: how much Google pays toward the $389.4 million Driver battery and the $161.2 million Jones Mill battery, its transmission contribution, the ratemaking math, even the termination fee if the deal dies [1]. Entergy asked regulators to waive disclosure requirements the commission itself set in a January order, saying [Google](https://theinference.org/markets/companies/alphabet) deems the amounts competitively sensitive [1].

## The only numbers on record came from earlier filings Entergy had blacked out

Newly unsealed filings show [Google paying Entergy Arkansas $103 million this year](https://www.stuttgartdailyleader.com/google-to-pay-entergy-arkansas-103-million-this-year/), part of an agreement valued at $443 million through 2029 [3]. The savings case rests on Fair Share Plus, Entergy's pledge that Google-funded resources return savings to other customers: a phase-one pledge of $1.6 billion, now joined by a claim of $2.1 billion in net benefits for 738,000 customers and at least $500 million in new savings from 2028 over 20 years [4][5].

*Chart: **Google funds a $600 million build; Entergy claims $2.1 billion in customer benefits** Bars in millions of dollars: $600M Google-funded build, $443M agreement value through 2029, $500M claimed new customer savings from 2028, $2.1B claimed net benefits to 738,000 customers*

*US dollars in millions. The $600 million build and $443 million agreement through 2029 are disclosed; the $500 million savings and $2.1 billion net benefits are Entergy claims, not audited. Sources: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Stuttgart Daily Leader, Entergy Arkansas release via MarketScreener, T&D World. [1][3][4][5]*

Google's maximum power demand rises from 600 megawatts by an undisclosed amount [1]. One dated number cuts against the marketing: Cypress Solar, a plant built at Google's behest, [moves off the rider into customers' base rates](https://www.tdworld.com/distributed-energy-resources/news/55413318/entergy-arkansas-google-expansion-to-bring-additional-energy-resources-to-arkansas-grid) when it comes online in late 2028 [1].

## Farmers told legislators the rider is costing them five figures

At a October 19 legislative hearing, farmers testified that the rider, which added an average $5.77 a month per 1,000 kilowatt-hours from June, was eating their income [2]. Lori Caveness, a Carlisle farmer with many separate accounts for wells, bins and worker housing, saw one bill rise $3,000 and summed her accounts to $25,000 [2]. Cory Skarda, a third-generation farmer from Des Arc, estimated $35,000 to $40,000 a year, more than he took home last year [2].

*Chart: **Two Arkansas farms put the rider's annual cost at $25,000 and $35,000-$40,000** Bars in dollars of annual rider cost per farm: Caveness single bill $3,000, Caveness summed across accounts $25,000, Skarda estimate $35,000-$40,000*

*Annual Generating Arkansas Jobs Act rider cost in dollars, as testified at the October 19, 2026, legislative hearing. Caveness's $3,000 is one bill of many accounts; $25,000 is her own sum across accounts. Skarda's figure is his own estimate. Source: Arkansas Times. [2]*

At that same hearing, [Walmart](https://theinference.org/markets/companies/walmart) energy executive Steve Chriss agreed with the committee co-chair's Walmart analogy: "We don't precharge customers." Sen. Mark Johnson, the Republican co-chair who called the law a shift of risk from Entergy's investors to ratepayers, had made that criticism at a recent energy conference, not that hearing. [Sen. Jimmy Hickey apologized for voting for the bill](https://arktimes.com/arkansas-blog/2026/10/19/state-lawmakers-unmoved-by-entergy-explanations-after-farmers-plead-their-case), calling it horrible [2].

## Investors reprice the risk while the commission sits on the filing

Investors are repricing the same question. [Morgan Stanley](https://theinference.org/markets/companies/morgan-stanley) cut its Entergy target to $101 from $98 on October 21 [6]. [The stock closed at $105.16, up 13.8% this year](https://www.marketscreener.com/news/morgan-stanley-adjusts-price-target-on-entergy-to-101-from-98-ce785cd8d08af126), on a load-pays thesis now under review in Little Rock [6]. The commission rules next; Entergy reports Q3 on November 2 [6].

## Takeaway

Entergy promised the Arkansas commission transparency on Google's $600 million deal, then filed the amended contract blacked out, asking regulators to waive their own disclosure order while farmers' rider bills and a legislative revolt raise the political price.

## Sources

1. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Entergy files heavily redacted amended application for Google's West Memphis data center project, 20 October 2026](https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2026/oct/20/entergy-files-heavily-redacted-amended/)
2. [Arkansas Times, State lawmakers unmoved by Entergy explanations after farmers plead their case, 19 October 2026](https://arktimes.com/arkansas-blog/2026/10/19/state-lawmakers-unmoved-by-entergy-explanations-after-farmers-plead-their-case)
3. [Stuttgart Daily Leader, Google to pay Entergy Arkansas $103 million this year, 19 October 2026](https://www.stuttgartdailyleader.com/google-to-pay-entergy-arkansas-103-million-this-year/)
4. [Entergy Arkansas via MarketScreener, Entergy Arkansas announces enhanced partnership at Google West Memphis campus, 19 October 2026](https://www.marketscreener.com/news/entergy-arkansas-announces-enhanced-partnership-at-google-west-memphis-campus-delivering-at-least-ce785cdbdc80f42d)
5. [T&D World, Entergy Arkansas, Google Expansion to Bring Additional Energy Resources to Arkansas Grid, 20 October 2026](https://www.tdworld.com/distributed-energy-resources/news/55413318/entergy-arkansas-google-expansion-to-bring-additional-energy-resources-to-arkansas-grid)
6. [MarketScreener/MT Newswires, Morgan Stanley Adjusts Price Target on Entergy to $101 From $98, 21 October 2026](https://www.marketscreener.com/news/morgan-stanley-adjusts-price-target-on-entergy-to-101-from-98-ce785cd8d08af126)


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Entergy promised transparency on Google's $600 million Arkansas deal, then filed it blacked out — The Inference. Canonical: https://theinference.org/article/entergy-promised-transparency-on-google-s-600-million-arkansas-deal-then-filed-it-blacked-out