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Senate committee approves bill to give PSC a formal role in utility settlement talks
Summary
Sen. Matt McKee’s bill would require the Public Service Commission to be treated as a party when utilities negotiate settlement agreements that result in closing generation assets; committee approved the measure by voice vote.
Sen. Matt McKee, R‑District 6, told the Senate Insurance & Commerce Committee that his bill would ensure the Arkansas Public Service Commission has a seat at the table when utilities negotiate settlement agreements that would close generation assets.
“This bill simply says that in the future, when utilities decide to enter into settlement agreements of any kind that result in the closure of generation assets that the PSC has a seat at the table,” McKee said.
The measure attracted no public testimony and was moved forward on a motion by Sen. Boyd and seconded by McKee. The committee approved the bill by voice vote.
The sponsor framed the change as procedural: it would not itself close plants or approve a settlement but would make the PSC a formal participant in negotiations that affect generation assets. The transcript records no questions or opposition from the public during committee consideration.
With no further action recorded at the committee, the bill will proceed according to standard legislative scheduling and any next steps or floor actions will be set by the Senate calendar.
