The Louisiana Public Service Commission has approved a large-scale solar energy project in Morehouse Parish as part of a new power agreement involving rural electric cooperatives.

Commissioner Foster Campbell, North Louisiana representative on the LPSC, said the Bayou Galion Solar Project will generate 98 megawatts of clean, renewable electricity on 1,080 acres near Mer Rouge. Construction is expected to begin soon with operation to start in 2023.

“Solar power is clean, it’s cheap, and it’s a great way to make electricity,” Campbell said. “Bayou Galion by itself will generate enough power to supply more than 20,000 homes.

“Solar projects like this are being developed all over the state and nation, and they are a critical new part of our country’s energy industry.”

Bayou Galion Solar Project LLC will build the Morehouse Parish solar plant. An estimated 300 people will be needed during the peak period of construction. The firm is part of Recurrent Energy Development Holdings, a North American solar-power and energy-storage developer.

Science?: Climate change denial on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and TikTok is ‘as bad as ever’

Recurrent was chosen by the 1803 Electric Cooperative to be part of its portfolio of energy-supply projects to satisfy the next 20 years of demand from five Louisiana rural electric co-ops: Claiborne Electric, Northeast Louisiana Power, Washington-St. Tammany Electric, South Louisiana Electric Cooperative and Beauregard Electric.

The five co-ops banded together to develop a replacement for their soon-to-expire power-supply contract with CLECO Cajun, a Louisiana company that is part of CLECO Power in Pineville.

Campbell said the Recurrent solar plant was one of nearly 200 energy options considered by the 1803 Electric Cooperative.

Fact check: False claim that replacing cornfields with solar panels exacerbates climate change

“There was an intense competition of new and existing power options reviewed by the firm and the LPSC staff,” he said.

Other energy options chosen to be part of the 1803 collection include solar plants in central and south Louisiana, a gas-fired power plant to be built in Iberville Parish and a power-supply component by the Exelon Corp.

“Our commission staff took several months to review this plan,” Campbell said. “I am confident that it will provide reliable and inexpensive power to these Louisiana co-ops for years to come.”

This article originally appeared on Monroe News-Star: Louisiana approves large-scale solar project in Morehouse Parish