Know Your Power: Arkansas’s Electricity Fuel Mix

Written By Jill Balaster

Arkansas’s fuel mix - the mix of energy sources used to generate electricity - affects price stability and carbon intensity. Arkansas relies on a combination of energy sources to meet electricity demand.

According to EIA in 2024, Arkansas’s Fuel Mix consists of:

  • Natural Gas-Fired: 38% - Arkansas’s leading source. It’s flexible and relatively low-cost but subject to market price swings.

  • Coal-Fired: 26% - still significant in Arkansas but declining. These plants are aging and less competitive as cheaper options grow.

  • Nuclear: 25% - roughly 20% of electricity in Arkansas comes from the Nuclear One plant in Russellville. Nuclear provides steady, carbon-free baseload power but is expensive to maintain and takes a long time to get online.

  • Renewables: 13% - includes solar, hydro, biomass, and wind.

As renewables expand and older coal plants retire, Arkansas’s fuel mix is expected to become more stable in pricing. Businesses can benefit from monitoring fuel trends and considering energy efficiency or on-site solar to manage long-term costs.

Jill Balaster
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