Crooked Lake Solar Park is a 175-megawatt alternating current (AC) photovoltaic (PV) solar energy installation located in Mississippi County, Arkansas, diversifying the energy supply for the state and country.

Built by PCL Construction’s Houston Industrial Division, Crooked Lake uses a state-of-the-art, single-axis tracking system with PV panels. Crooked Lake’s design includes more than 440,000 PV modules with tracking technology to maximize energy capture. Its power collection system is rated at 1,500 volts DC and then steps up to 34.5kV before connecting to a 161kV substation that injects energy into the grid. At peak construction, the project employed over 330 people.

The facility’s output is enough to power more than 55,000 Arkansas homes, conserve more than 222 million gallons of water and abate 122 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year. 

Due to the area’s steady rainfall, type of soil and terrain, the PCL team developed a risk mitigation plan to reduce efficiency risks and better suit site conditions. To limit terrain damage, tracked equipment was used in place of regular heavy machinery. To maintain the safety of workers given the slippery conditions, PCL adjusted working schedules and work strategies.

PCL’s ability to anticipate market trends became instrumental when the developer faced manufacturing challenges. The team pivoted their design to minimize setbacks, having already accounted for a change in module type. When the full commissioning of solar panels was in jeopardy on the high voltage side of the project, PCL quickly brought in a high voltage power load bank solution to test equipment functionality while waiting for back feed power.

From start to finish, each project milestone is a testament to PCL’s commitment to excellence and a sustainable future, one solar panel — and one community — at a time. With its innovative solution-provider approach, PCL continues to pave the way for a brighter, greener future.