SB596

Senate Bill 596 establishes a formal state energy policy for Arkansas, emphasizing the importance of reliable, dispatchable, and affordable electric generation. It explicitly prioritizes the use of power sources such as natural gas, coal, nuclear, and biomass while classifying wind, solar, and short-duration energy storage as 'intermittent' resources. The bill mandates that the Arkansas Public Service Commission must approve the retirement of any dispatchable electric generation facility. It creates a 'rebuttable presumption' against such retirements, requiring utilities to prove that closing a facility is in the public interest and will not harm grid reliability or increase costs for ratepayers. Furthermore, utilities must ensure replacement capacity is fully operational before retiring existing units. The bill also promotes energy-related education in K-12 schools and declares an emergency to allow for immediate implementation.