ARKANSAS ENERGY DISRUPTION PREPAREDNESS TOOL KIT

On March 3, 2021, Governor Asa Hutchinson signed Executive Order 21-05, which created the Energy Resources Planning Task Force to evaluate the ability of Arkansas’s critical energy resources and infrastructure to withstand extreme events. The Energy Resources Planning Task Force members and staff conducted a series of internal and external stakeholder hearings to gather information and responses from more than 30 pertinent stakeholder groups and organizations. Energy Resources Planning Task Force concluded its work and provided its report to the Governor outlining findings and recommendations. One recommendation was to create the Arkansas Energy Resources Council to facilitate technical and policy discussion among regulators and energy stakeholder.

On December 20, 2021, Governor Asa Hutchinson established the Arkansas Energy Resources Council (ERC) under Executive Order 21-21 to facilitate regular technical and policy discussion among regulators and energy stakeholders and to develop and maintain educational materials on best practice regarding preparedness and communication in advance of and during events that may disrupt the supply of critical energy resources. This webpage, hosted by the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment (E&E) serves as a hub for the educational materials ordered under Executive Order 21-21.

BEST PRACTICES FOR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS


  • Know how to contact your utility service providers
  • Heed calls for energy conservation
  • Have a back-up plan for power-dependent medical equipment, refrigerated medicines, and other power-dependent devices
  • Have flashlights for every household member
  • Check with local officials about heating and cooling locations near you

BEST PRACTICES FOR COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMERS

  • Include electricity outage and fuel supply disruptions in your operations continuity planning
  • Consider potential disruptions and energy price volatility in establishing energy contracts
  • Proactively submit human needs and plant protection affidavits, as applicable
  • Know who to contact in the event of an energy disruption

BEST PRACTICES FOR ENERGY PROVIDERS


  • Establish human needs affidavits with pipelines
  • Review procedures and protocols for advanced warning of service interruptions to customers
  • Identify customers who will be curtailed and notify them in advance, if possible
  • Keep customer contacts up-to-date
  • Utilize State and community organizations to amplify messaging