AAEA, Americans for Prosperity Push for Reliable Power

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On Thursday, the Arkansas Advanced Energy Association and Americans for Prosperity-Arkansas partnered in a campaign to ensure reliable power for Arkansas residents and businesses.

They cited one big concern: “a critical energy shortage” the state is likely to face beginning in 2026. By 2035, the groups said, Arkansas electricity demand could outstrip generation capacity by 3,891 megawatts. That’s about a quarter of today’s total capacity.

The looming electricity crunch could significantly challenge Arkansas consumers and businesses. A recent AAEA paper, Avoiding Arkansas’s Energy Crisis, addresses the issue in detail. 

“This partnership underscores the urgency of ensuring Arkansans have access to affordable, reliable energy,” AAEA Executive Director Lauren Waldrip said at a news conference at the state Capitol. “We are bringing together voices from across the spectrum to champion policies that protect consumers and foster economic growth.”

Nine Guiding Principles

The groups introduced nine guiding energy principles for future policy-making: reliability, affordability, flexibility, accountability, responsible planning, enabling more energy solutions, prioritizing existing needs over new subsidies, diversifying the state’s energy mix and investing in local economic development.

“By uniting behind these guiding principles, we’re ensuring Arkansas remains a leader in market-driven energy solutions,” Waldrip said.

Americans for Prosperity-Arkansas argued that unnecessary government intervention is driving up energy costs.

“Arkansans deserve energy policies that prioritize reliability, affordability, accountability, and transparency,” said Ryan Norris, Americans for Prosperity’s state director. “Too often, decisions impacting ratepayers are made behind closed doors, leaving families and businesses to foot the bill.” Norris called for more public input and scrutiny. He said Americans for Prosperity stands committed to ensuring that “Arkansans have a voice in shaping our state’s energy future.”

Other consumer advocacy groups and industry leaders have expressed support for the  principles AAEA and AFPA officials laid out. Those groups, the partnership said, include Arkansas Electric Energy Consumers, Arkansas Gas Consumers and AARP, officials said.