NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A new power option is on the way for the City of North Little Rock, as a brand new solar field with nearly 600 panels is set to be built in the city.
The City of North Little Rock will develop a new 5-megawatt solar site led by the North Little Rock Electric Department (NLRED) and Today’s Power, Inc. (TPI).
The announcement came after the North Little Rock City Council approved Resolution 23-144 instructing NLRED to enter into a contract with TPI on July 24.
Construction on the solar site is scheduled to begin in September 2023, with a projected completion in 2024. The project will mark a major milestone in sustainable energy solutions in the North Little Rock community.
“The partnership between North Little Rock and Today’s Power, Inc (TPI) positions the North Little Rock Electric Department as one of the leading municipal-owned utilities in the state. North Little Rock Electric boasts a renewable energy portfolio that includes hydropower, solar power, and methane gas. We are committed to embracing renewable energy at affordable rates for our city. TPI’s history of providing comprehensive operational support for its facilities and extensive experience in working in Arkansas communities was a huge factor in selecting TPI," said Mayor Terry Hartwick of North Little Rock.
TPI was selected as a partner for the project due to deliverability, system design, equipment, and pricing, along with operational assurances to support the project.
“Today’s Power, Inc believes the benefits of this collaboration will directly impact the energy sustainability goals of North Little Rock, while also creating jobs, economic benefits, and providing competitive energy pricing. TPI is excited to bring another solar project to the communities of Arkansas," said Derek Dyson, President/CEO of TPI.
Hartwick spoke to THV11 about the benefits of the project. He shared that the project will cost the city nothing and it'll be similar for resident's bills.
"This kind of solidifies the price that we give to our customers. That won't fluctuate very much," he said. "You get this type of rates, it stays consistent."
Also important for Hartwick is diversifying their power options in the city. He cited the storms in the winter of 2021 that caused rolling blackouts as something this could help avoid.
"I guess it was a couple years ago, when we had that 20 inches of snow and then we were getting rolling blackouts," he said. "It gives us quite a diversity to kind of combat that rolling blackout we have and then it fits our grid, and then it fits the price we're looking for."