SB615

Senate Bill 615 amends Arkansas law regarding energy production by establishing a regulatory framework for 'nonexport facilities.' A nonexport facility is defined as a facility that produces electricity for a customer's own needs within a single utility's service territory without intentionally feeding power back into the utility grid. The bill mandates that the Arkansas Public Service Commission establish rules for these facilities by March 1, 2026, following a public comment and hearing process. These rules must cover safety and reliability standards, including power quality, network limits, and methods to prevent inadvertent energy export. Additionally, the commission is required to create an expedited review and interconnection process for these facilities. Finally, the bill amends the Arkansas Cost-Shifting Prevention Act of 2023 to explicitly exclude nonexport facilities from the definition of 'net-metering facilities.'