Kansas City, Missouri--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On Monday, November 8, officials from Paragould, Light Water & Cable, the city’s Economic Development Corporation and the Chamber of Commerce and Evergy’s The representatives held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the city’s solar panels in Paraguld.

The 1.92 megawatt (MW) system will begin commercial operation in November 2021. The array was constructed by using double-sided solar panels in combination with Schletter single-axis trackers (the first Schletter trackers installed in the United States). The installation of double-sided panels with single-axis trackers will optimize the efficiency of the solar array throughout its life cycle. The 4,692 panel arrays will generate approximately 3.4 million kilowatt-hours of electricity each year, which is equivalent to providing energy for more than 200 households for a year.

Evergy has provided energy management services for Paragould Light Water & Cable (PLWC) for more than ten years and won a bid to build solar arrays for PLWC and bring clean energy to Paragould customers.

"At Evergy, our goal is to ensure that the energy generated by the new solar array is the lowest cost peak power resource in the PLWC energy portfolio. We are very pleased to work with PLWC to provide Paragould customers with clean energy solutions," Director of Evergy Energy Partners General Manager Lloyd Jackson said.

The city of Paraguld has more than 26,000 residents and is committed to providing clean and affordable energy solutions to meet the needs of residents and encourage industrial development in the area. In 2020, Paragould began its mission to become a more sustainable city by adding renewable energy to its energy mix. Evergy was selected through a request for proposal (RFP) to provide innovative solar solutions to the Paragould community.

Darrell Phillips, CEO of Paragould Light Water & Cable, said: "We are proud to bring solar power to the citizens of Paragould and work with Evergy. This is a trusted partner for 18 years." "PLWC continues to be a part of our recent launch. 1-GIG The Internet is advancing steadily, and now we are generating solar energy in an exciting new way. We are building excellent infrastructure in our cities and providing reliable products for our friends and neighbors."

Because cost saving is an important goal of PLWC, Evergy is able to provide a product that increases the overall energy mix of PLWC by providing affordable electricity, thereby helping to offset Paragould's energy costs. Evergy structured the agreement as a construction/transfer agreement for Paragould Municipal Power Company. Paragould City will offset its energy costs with clean and affordable energy, which is a win-win for all parties involved.

Located in Kansas City, Missouri, Evergy, Inc. (NYSE: EVRG) serves approximately 1.6 million customers in Kansas and Missouri. We provide homes and businesses with nearly half of the electricity that is emissions-free energy. We support the local communities where we live and work, and strive to meet the needs of our customers through energy-saving and innovative solutions.

Gina Penzig External Communications Manager Tel: 785.508.2410 Gina.Penzig@evergy.com Media Line: 888-613-0003

Gina Penzig External Communications Manager Tel: 785.508.2410 Gina.Penzig@evergy.com Media Line: 888-613-0003