AAEA Granted Intervenor Status in SWEPCO Rate Case
The Arkansas Advanced Energy Association (AAEA) has been granted intervenor status in Southwestern Electric Power Company’s (SWEPCO) general rate case (Docket No. 25-003-U). SWEPCO argued that AAEA shouldn’t be allowed to participate because some of our member companies had intervened individually—but the Arkansas Public Service Commission (APSC) disagreed. Recognizing AAEA’s unique role as a statewide advocate for energy policy and economic growth, the Commission approved our petition. AAEA will now review the filing and submit testimony to ensure our industry’s perspective is represented in this critical proceeding.
On March 28, 2025, SWEPCO filed with the APSC an application for a general change or modification of rates, charges, and tariffs of its company with Arkansas customers. The total amount of the requested rate increase is $113.6 million. A chart of the proposed monthly increases for residential and commercial customers can be found here.
The application follows the Arkansas legislature’s passing of Senate Bill 307, now Act 373, which allows utilities to fund new construction projects by passing costs to Arkansas ratepayers. The new projects are presumably to bridge critical capacity gaps between Arkansas’s energy supply and demand - Arkansas currently consumes about 50% more energy than it produces. While the gap is expected to be noticeable as early as 2026, utilities in Arkansas have been elusive with responsible solutions. Environmental groups have also voiced concerns, primarily over SWEPCO’s proposals to extend the life of existing coal plants and lean into natural gas to solve the issue.
SWEPCO RATE CASE PUBLIC EVIDENTIARY HEARING
Little Rock - Wednesday, November 19, 2025
9:30 a.m., APSC Building, 1000 Center Street
SWEPCO PUBLIC COMMENTS HEARINGS
Texarkana - Tuesday, December 2, 2025
Fayetteville - Thursday, December 4, 2025
SWEPCO services the following counties in Arkansas: Benton, Carroll, Hempstead, Howard, Little River, Logan, Miller, Nevada, Pike, Polk, Scott, Sebastian, Sevier, and Washington.