An unusual dustup between Petit Jean Electric Cooperative Corp. and Ted Thomas, chairman of the Arkansas Public Service Commission, has added complications to an expected ruling on solar compensation. read more >
With a final public hearing Wednesday, the Arkansas Public Service Commission appears to be within weeks of ruling on what compensation solar-generating customers should get from power companies. read more >
Carlisle farmer Don Kittler looked out at his 18-acre field east of Lonoke, beaming at row after row soaking up the sun. But these weren’t the usual rows of corn, soybeans and rice he farms on 10,000 acres of in Lonoke and Prairie counties. read more >
A key legislative priority for Arkansas’ solar power industry advanced in the state Legislature Tuesday as the Senate Insurance & Commerce Committee unanimously approved Senate Bill 145. read more >
Rich Anderson was comfortably in retirement when Entergy Arkansas came calling, looking for help steering Nuclear One back to good graces. read more >
Phase 1 set an expedited process for reviewing proposals for generation systems above the state’s 300-kilowatt cap for net metering. Phase II, deliberating future rate structures, has taken time. read more >
The Arkansas Advanced Energy Association toasted the state’s sustainable power and energy efficiency leaders Tuesday at the trade group’s Empowering Arkansas conference. read more >
Louisiana utility regulators approved plans Wednesday for a $4.5 billion Oklahoma wind energy project, acting about six weeks after Arkansas’ Public Service Commission gave its approval to the project, known as the Wind Catcher Energy Connection. read more >
Ted Thomas has faced some tough decisions as an Arkansas utility regulator, but approving a massive $4.5 billion Oklahoma wind energy project wasn’t one of them. read more >
"If you can follow this, you don't have to wonder if your project is going to be approved," Arkansas PSC Chairman Ted Thomas said. "We want developers and utilities to know that if they fit in this box, they're going to be good to go." read more >
John Bethel is retiring from the state Public Service Commission after 18 years as executive director. One of the commission's top experts on rate issues, Matthew Klucher, is also departing in an unrelated move. read more >
Gov. Asa Hutchinson said in a letter Thursday that the Arkansas Public Service Commission should, “as expeditiously as possible, take whatever steps are necessary to pass the benefit of the corporate tax cut to Arkansas families and businesses in the form of lower utility rates." read more >
After the state attorney general's office made a case Thursday to allow Arkansas utilities to essentially pay less for electricity generated by customers with solar power systems, citing language in a 2015 law, the law's sponsor begged to differ. read more >
The state’s top utility regulator expressed deep doubts Tuesday about Energy Secretary Rick Perry’s proposed rule to fortify the national electric grid’s “resilience” by providing cost recovery for coal and nuclear power plants. read more >
Gov.-elect Asa Hutchinson has said he intends to appoint Ted Thomas as chairman of the Public Service Commission. read more >
