Signed by Governor Asa Hutchinson

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires electric utilities to have an emergency plan in place during certain weather events.

Highlights:

• Classifies "electric utility" as a utility that furnishes electricity to retail customers for compensation (Sec. 1-2):

• Through a municipally-owned utility system; or

• As a public utility under the jurisdiction of the Arkansas Public Service Commission.

• Authorizes a local government to notify an electric utility to identify the location of any emergency warming centers or emergency cooling centers created to protect the elderly and individuals with disabilities during emergency weather events (Sec. 1.b-1).

• Requires a local government that identifies any warming center or cooling center to provide sufficient details concerning the number, location, and designated contact person for coordination of information regarding service to any emergency warming center or emergency cooling center (Sec. 1.b-2).

• Requires an electric utility that has received notice from a local government to do the following (Sec. 1.c):

• Include the locations of any emergency warming centers or emergency cooling centers as part of the electric utility's overall planning process to implement a coordinated interruption of electric service or other emergency measures to reduce energy consumption in response to extreme weather conditions as directed by a regional transmission organization or reliability coordinator; and

• To the extent technically feasible, use the public utility's best efforts to:

• Directly notify any persons identified as the appropriate points of contact by the local government as soon as reasonably possible when a coordinated interruption of electric service or other emergency measures to reduce energy consumption in response to extreme weather conditions as directed by a regional transmission organization or reliability coordinator will be implemented; and

• Give priority to:

• Avoid interrupting electric service; and

• Restoring electric service to any emergency warming centers or emergency cooling centers identified by the local government.

Full Bill Text