Arkansas Public Service Commission disapproves six electric cooperatives’ proposed tariffs

Thanks to Arkansas Advanced Energy Association’s advocacy and testimony, six Arkansas Public Service Commission (APSC) dockets proposing interconnection tariffs from different electric cooperatives (Dockets 24-053-TF through 24-058-TF) were disapproved. Arkansas Advanced Energy Association played a critical role as an intervening party advocating for fair and reasonable interconnection policies.

List of dockets and associated cooperatives:

Southwest Arkansas (docket 24-053-TF)
Woodruff (docket 24-054-TF)
Clay County (docket 24-055-TF)
Rich Mountain (docket 24-056-TF)
South Central (docket 24-057-TF)
Petit Jean (docket 24-058-TF)

AAEA’s Role:

• Intervened in all six dockets challenging proposed interconnection tariffs from various electric cooperatives.

• Provided testimony, offering both Direct and Surrebuttal Testimonies in each case.

• Raised concerns about excessive and unjustified insurance requirements proposed by the cooperatives for distributed energy resources.

• Argued that these insurance requirements:

  • Were not backed by data or analysis,

  • Could create unnecessary barriers to DR deployment,

  • Did not meet the standards of being in the public interest

• Successfully supported motions to convert hearings into written proceedings for administrative efficiency.

In every docket, the APSC ultimately disapproved the proposed tariffs, citing insufficient justification for the insurance policies. AAEA’s arguments and evidence contributed to the Commission’s findings that the cooperatives failed to meet their burden of proof and that the proposed insurance requirements were not shown to be in the public interest.