Arkansas PSC Opens Door For Higher Electricity Bills - CleanTechnica

The Arkansas Public Service Commission (PSC), with three governor-appointed commissioners, has approved a 23% electricity rate increase for customers of SWEPCO in Northwest Arkansas. This decision, made amid public opposition—including over 600 comments and two hours of testimony—aims in part to support the aging Flint Creek coal plant, which is nearly 50 years old and considered costly, polluting, and increasingly prone to mechanical failure. While the PSC acknowledged public concerns and ordered SWEPCO to report on plans for retiring Flint Creek and managing regional load growth, the rate hike will nonetheless raise electricity bills significantly. Environmental advocates, such as the Sierra Club, criticize the PSC’s ruling for perpetuating reliance on an outdated coal plant rather than transitioning to cheaper, cleaner renewable energy sources like solar and wind, which have become more affordable alongside declining battery storage costs. They highlight the health and economic harms caused by coal pollution and emphasize that Arkansas residents have already borne substantial costs over decades to maintain Flint Creek. The Sierra Club