[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6178034,"mediaKeyId","5329274-a69de7c31a9ea699967cc8ad5c1caca4","parentId",5329274,"title","Entergy and co-owners outline plan to repurpose White Bluff and Independence as coal retirements approach","audioSeconds",521,"startMs",2809000,"endMs",3330000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5329274-a69de7c31a9ea699967cc8ad5c1caca4&start=2809&end=3330","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5329274-a69de7c31a9ea699967cc8ad5c1caca4/thumbnail_2809000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6178034/Arkansas/Entergy-and-co-owners-outline-plan-to-repurpose-White-Bluff-and-Independence-as-coal-retirements-approach","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6178034-c5acbd839d3ec9dc61442b65670b485d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141330&Signature=cpxkSLFKWeg4kAWlgtNdCHNWOu6uJoFPjzGe6h1LM6~IbABM3jkdUlqzyu46cgzXU8sRsZ~qCeySKgK5GTGAxMF053ETyJVtmQVpPyi0QwNiO7VdztG3hWnqbhZm06Qf2FC4tKObJj8~ZSpMUh~MBHNk8h2btlhiq8An16HxfjCSiiiLKwFUesYwki63ai~bFI6u0sZihIuKufd7hn-nIdQzn8aQAQzItnv3XTtYYIxCPKYdI78F1fjsgbOaogJPDech~b81SdNahaicRy1hl2Og51uJ2058UJQrNSO7vKOaxLYK8WXlQ-jSn5-PSoKLb2hopjCEE1MjRLBBMU~3QA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Arkansas State Legislature","date","2025-06-18T00:00:00Z","article","Committee members heard an extended briefing from Entergy Arkansas and other utility owners about a recently negotiated transaction among the co‑owners of White Bluff and Independence generating stations intended to simplify ownership and prepare the sites for replacement generation as coal operations wind down.

John Bethel, Director of Public Affairs for Entergy Arkansas, and Kurt Casselberry, Entergy resource‑planning staff, told the committee the deals concentrate Entergy Arkansas’s interest at the White Bluff site and concentrate Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation’s (AECC) and some municipal utilities’ interests at Independence. Casselberry said the transaction “simplifies our co‑ownership relationship in a dramatic way” and leaves utilities free to pursue replacement generation that fits their portfolios.

The panel discussed the consent‑decree timelines that set coal‑burning retirement dates: White Bluff is expected to cease coal operations at the end of 2028 and Independence in 2030, dates identified as part of prior litigation and settlement. Entergy and counsel told the committee those dates are in the consent decree and that attempting to reopen or overturn the decree would create prolonged litigation and regulatory uncertainty.

Utility representatives emphasized a primary objective: preserve and re‑use the sites’ transmission interconnection capacity. Casselberry described roughly 3,600 megawatts of interconnection capacity at the two sites combined (he later said the combined figure could be closer to 3,200 megawatts in round numbers), and said maintaining the existing interconnection avoids “hundreds of millions of dollars” in new transmission investment and preserves the sites’ attractiveness for replacement generation.

Entergy and the other owners described replacement options that include natural gas (combined‑cycle and simple‑cycle units), repowering existing boilers for different fuels, battery storage and, over a longer horizon, small modular reactors (SMRs). Entergy said it expects to file specific replacement resource plans with the Arkansas Public Service Commission and to pursue options that deliver dispatchable and base‑load capacity where needed.

AECC representatives (Buddy Haston, CEO, and Andrew Lohosky, vice president for market operations) said the cooperative will build and partner on replacement generation. AECC described plans for advanced combined‑cycle natural‑gas capacity (an approximate combined output figure cited at about 1,350 megawatts across planned projects) and said liquid‑fuel backup will be permitted at new plants to mitigate winter‑event natural‑gas interruptions; AECC said a liquid‑fuel backup supply would cover about five days of operation in extreme conditions.

Municipal utilities — Conway Corporation (Brett Carroll), City Water & Light Jonesboro (Jake Rice) and West Memphis Utilities (Bob Atkins) — said they supported the transaction and that it positions their systems to serve growth, including prospective industrial or data‑center customers. Jonesboro said local peaking turbines and existing contracted generation plus anticipated replacement resources should meet its projected needs; Conway said it plans to be a minority owner in replacement generation at Independence.

Speakers warned of execution risks: gas‑turbine lead times are long (speaker estimates in the hearing put delivery lead times for modern turbines at roughly 48–60 months), and interconnection study queues at regional transmission operators present scheduling constraints. Entergy and co‑owners emphasized coordinated planning to stage new capacity before coal retirement dates and said they will coordinate in outages to avoid supply gaps. Entergy and others also described a 30‑year environmental monitoring obligation following coal operations and said the transaction allows economies of scale for decommissioning and environmental maintenance to reduce customer costs.

Why it matters: The two plants provide large transmission capacity and significant generation that utilities and economic developers consider essential to attract industry. The co‑owners’ transaction attempts to preserve transmission value and give each owner capacity and timing flexibility to pursue replacement resources tailored to their customer base.

What happens next: Utility owners will file resource plans and permitting applications as needed. The committee received the briefing and asked questions; no committee vote was recorded on the transaction during the session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","ENERGY - JOINT Jun 18, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Entergy Arkansas and co‑owners briefed the Joint Energy Committee on a transaction reallocating ownership interests in White Bluff and Independence generating stations and described plans to replace retiring coal generation ahead of consent‑decree retirement dates.","taxTitle","2025 Legislative Meetings, Arkansas","taxId",78622,"location","Arkansas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6178044,"Committee authorizes BLR to negotiate contract with Excel Services for Act 707 nuclear feasibility study",955,443000,1398000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5329274-a69de7c31a9ea699967cc8ad5c1caca4&start=443&end=1398","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5329274-a69de7c31a9ea699967cc8ad5c1caca4/thumbnail_443000.jpg","/articles/6178044/Arkansas/Committee-authorizes-BLR-to-negotiate-contract-with-Excel-Services-for-Act-707-nuclear-feasibility-study","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6178044-46e0bbb1dad388e943068199bf497203/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141330&Signature=eagvE6zFvMcbemiDDXc2gbrX6maz9dIv7S~jHy1p~KMuLhsCj6FidEeqjnfCNROR6nCVa3WZDamjzdpM4KkkPDpfhDvnwfWSMugwR~2ma9Fi1mw6pCQP-fAzINjTpTl8lt7xqGghJCIHtRpyuLJJ7J7tbnHdIUY7sKEPyIYw3M6tQA~LwDDoq~xggkENwSPoGf-0RPIcVlmq0J3hKHd0EouvLXmLqpxHseMIjeG4nw9f0dTUJGG9wEZetTPp465gGG0sKDcVakHRSVI7xPG-5cZA9TYyzIW88k5AoTkEzbsG~KTRd6IX1iey05TJt2uBndPHgm49852bqlNSbe474w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Jack Lademan, chairing a session of the Joint Energy Committee, asked the panel to authorize the Bureau of Legislative Research (BLR) to negotiate a contract with Excel Services Corporation to perform the technical feasibility study required by Act 707 of 2025.

The study, Lademan said, is intended to “create a technical feasibility study on new nuclear energy” and keep the state “up with other states” considering advanced nuclear technologies. He described the Act’s qualifications for a consultant — including nuclear-industry experience, reactor licensing expertise, an Arkansas-licensed attorney on staff and a statutory preference for firms substantially owned or managed by U.S. Navy nuclear veterans.

The committee heard from Jill Thayer of BLR, who described the procurement steps if members approved. Thayer said BLR would request a draft contract from the firm, include a scope of work aligned with Act 707, specify the maximum contract amount and the term, and then bring the draft back to the committee for review. BLR’s draft then would go to the ALC executive subcommittee and Legislative Council before the bureau’s director could sign.

Multiple members pressed for clarity on procurement and cost. Senator McKee and others asked whether the Department of Energy and Environment (the department named in the act) would still fund the study; Lademan said the committee would use Legislative Council discretionary funds since the department had not been allocated funding in the statute. Lademan said the committee had an estimate of about $380,000 for the consultant, and that Excel Services matched the qualifications listed in the act.

Several members sought confirmation that other firms had been considered and whether sole-source procurement could be justified. Representative Beck asked whether other firms had been reviewed; Lademan said other firms had been considered but argued the mix of statute requirements — Navy nuclear veterans, Arkansas‑licensed attorney familiar with nuclear regulatory and Arkansas law, and licensing experience — narrowed the pool. Several members noted a formal sole-source justification and council review would be required in the Legislative Council approval process.

Lademan moved that BLR “move forward with negotiating a contract with Excel Services Corporation for the purposes of conducting a technical feasibility study that meets the requirements of Act 707 of 2025” and that the draft contract be returned to the committee. Representative McGrew seconded the motion. The committee voted in favor; members said “aye.”

Votes at a glance
- Motion to authorize BLR to negotiate draft contract with Excel Services Corporation (mover: Representative Jack Lademan; seconder: Representative McGrew): approved.
- Motion to allow committee co-chairs to approve committee special expense expenditures (mover: Senator McKee; seconder: Representative Beck): approved (housekeeping motion earlier in the meeting).
- Motion to approve minutes of the Oct. 22, 2024 meeting (mover: Senator McGee; seconder: Representative Beck): approved (housekeeping).

Why it matters: Act 707 requires a technical feasibility study before the state advances new nuclear-generation projects. Committee members said they wanted to move promptly because other states and the federal government are active in the advanced nuclear space; opponents urged careful procurement steps and documentation for any sole-source choice.

What happens next: BLR will request a draft contract from Excel Services, return the draft to the Joint Energy Committee for review, then the contract will proceed to the ALC executive subcommittee and Legislative Council for final approval before execution.","Representative Jack Lademan asked the Joint Energy Committee to authorize the Bureau of Legislative Research to negotiate a draft contract with Excel Services Corporation to conduct the technical feasibility study required by Act 707 of 2025.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6178039,"Joint Energy Committee asks chairs to seek meeting with DOE on nuclear recycling and HCR 1009",1351,1456000,2807000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5329274-a69de7c31a9ea699967cc8ad5c1caca4&start=1456&end=2807","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5329274-a69de7c31a9ea699967cc8ad5c1caca4/thumbnail_1456000.jpg","/articles/6178039/Arkansas/Joint-Energy-Committee-asks-chairs-to-seek-meeting-with-DOE-on-nuclear-recycling-and-HCR-1009","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6178039-ff89f3895f54b65cb95f4fbd46ab8016/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141330&Signature=N1gWQezLAHEjE69er6JH3015C1fR3IgIALlJ6RutuNWUS8s~l1GB0x7BYqrv169M5rNz7phG2L5kKyAU7J1DJiuyqVYEW8~LU-UX3fDdQRXbInr2XGRYOIEUbN7~R11Ll0TS2Oz1tx1aJPoBDW11oxJKoq7rdxBy~IOfROmsd9U6iDk~LwvF1jKuidN1T09X1jsbDFJAXd4R3agY4kHCTfhzJ6PURnFqPI7ebV7tH4FJjRv9YT31vIUfVzz8~0KdGHvPmwjKePJbMSvk75W7K0MyGeBI39MflpcHo4s4T8nUzCWZMIXPvbo183Xpr2H-ZM5JOhu~LsXnQ7Hd2FBkIA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Jack Lademan moved that the Joint Energy Committee chairs write a letter to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy requesting a meeting to discuss HCR 1,009 and “how it can be used to implement President Trump’s executive order” issued in May 2025 titled “Reinvigorating the nuclear industrial base.” Representative Beck seconded the motion and the committee approved the request by voice vote.

Senator Cliff Penzo, a co-sponsor, said members who visited Argonne National Laboratory on a recent trip saw “the process of how the recycling works” for spent nuclear fuel and argued the technology could greatly reduce long-term waste and recover usable uranium and rare-earth elements. Penzo described the technology discussed as “pyroprocessing,” a high-temperature process using molten salt that, he said, leaves mixed uranium/plutonium and therefore — he and others asserted — limits proliferation risk compared with pure‑plutonium separation.

Committee members who attended the Argonne visit described potential economic development, workforce and job-creation opportunities from recycling and reusing spent fuel or producing replacement reactor fuel. Representative Nazarekko (transcript), who also attended the trip, cited estimates discussed at the lab visit that a large share of original fuel energy remains in spent fuel assemblies and said the process could create more than 1,000 jobs in some applications.

Representative Torres asked whether the state's action could position Arkansas to access federal Department of Energy funding; Lademan and others said that was an objective. Senator Penzo and other members referenced the federal spent-fuel trust fund discussed in the meeting (a figure of about $51 billion was mentioned by a senator during debate) and said state engagement could help access federal programs.

Several members emphasized safety and regulatory concerns. Penzo and others said pyroprocessing is different from historical aqueous reprocessing and argued it reduces the volume and longevity of high‑level waste; they said the waste products from the described process would require management on the order of centuries rather than millennia. The committee did not adopt technical standards or authorize a recycling program; it authorized the committee chairs to request a meeting with the DOE to discuss HCR 1,009 and federal actions.

Why it matters: Federal policy and funding can determine which nuclear technologies and waste strategies are feasible for states. Committee members signaled interest in engaging federal officials now that the White House issued executive actions focused on the nuclear industrial base.

What happens next: Committee chairs will prepare a letter to the DOE secretary requesting a meeting to discuss the resolution and federal reports due under the president’s executive order; the committee asked to be included in early federal discussions.","The committee voted to have its co-chairs write to the U.S. Department of Energy requesting a meeting to discuss HCR 1,009/ACR 1,009 and federal executive action on nuclear industry policy, including spent-fuel recycling (pyroprocessing). Members cited a recent Argonne National Lab visit and potential federal funding.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Entergy and co-owners outline plan to repurpose White Bluff and Independence as coal retirements approach

Committee authorizes BLR to negotiate contract with Excel Services for Act 707 nuclear feasibility study

Joint Energy Committee asks chairs to seek meeting with DOE on nuclear recycling and HCR 1009