$600 million solar farm proposal draws public hearing near Keo

A proposed $600 million solar farm near Keo drew about 100 people to a public hearing Aug. 5, putting a major agricultural-to-commercial land-use change before Lonoke County residents, landowners and officials.

The project remains a proposal and is still subject to approval. The available report does not establish that the solar farm was approved after the hearing.

Project scope and timeline

The proposed solar-energy project would cover about 6,000 acres and have a generating capacity of 300 megawatts. Its reported investment is about $600 million.

If approved, construction could begin in 2026, with operations potentially beginning by 2028. Those dates are proposed timing, not a confirmed construction or operating schedule.

The project would change the use and value of thousands of acres, shifting the land from agricultural use to commercial zoning. That makes the proposal relevant not only to nearby landowners and agricultural interests, but also to county taxpayers and the school districts serving the area.

Projected payments to county and schools

Reported projections for payments in lieu of taxes, or PILOT payments, over 50 years include $7.5 million for Lonoke County, $20.3 million for the Pulaski County Special School District and $34 million for the England School District.

Those figures are estimates tied to the proposal, not guaranteed receipts. If the project moves forward, the payments could become a significant fiscal consideration for the county and affected school districts. The packet does not establish the final payment terms or whether the projected amounts would be realized.

The hearing brought residents and officials together to consider the proposed land-use change and its possible effects on property values, county revenue and school-district funding. The available material does not identify the project sponsor, establish the final parcel boundaries or provide a final permitting schedule.

What happens next

No project-specific approval or post-hearing decision is identified in the approved material. The City of Lonoke’s official government records page lists an upcoming regular council meeting for Aug. 10, 2026, but the packet does not establish that meeting as the next action on the county project.

For now, the Keo-area solar farm remains a proposal: large enough to affect agricultural land use and projected public revenues, but not yet documented as approved, financed or under construction.