S.B. 596

# S.B. 596 Plain-Language Summary Senate Bill 596 establishes Arkansas's state energy policy, which prioritizes maintaining an adequate, affordable, and reliable electric generation system with a diverse portfolio that includes dispatchable resources like nuclear, natural gas, and coal power. The bill creates new regulations restricting the retirement of dispatchable electric generation facilities, arguing that such facilities are essential for economic development, grid reliability, and energy independence rather than necessary for environmental protection. By streamlining regulatory processes and promoting energy education, the bill aims to support Arkansas's energy production capacity and prevent premature closure of power plants that the state considers critical to meeting growing electricity demand from new industries and economic development.