Governmental Affairs

Energy Partners

American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity

www.americaspower.org

Consumers United for Rail Equity

www.railcure.org

 Arkansas Coalition for Affordable and Reliable Electricity (ACARE)

The Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas have partnered with Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) to form the Arkansas Coalition for Affordable and Reliable Electricity (ACARE). ACARE will seek to inform Arkansans about the John W. Turk Jr. Power Plant.

The $1.7 billion plant is scheduled for completion in late 2012. The Turk Plant will produce 600 megawatts of power using state-of-the art emission control technologies. The plant's "ultra-supercritical" advanced coal combustion technology is very efficient and will produce fewer emissions, including carbon dioxide, than any other coal plant in Arkansas. Additionally, the plant’s design allows for the retrofit of carbon dioxide controls when that technology becomes available.

The Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas strongly support the Turk Plant, as the plant’s generation is needed to meet future energy demands of cooperative members. The cooperatives are dedicated to providing members with reliable, reasonably priced electricity, and the Turk Plant is a critical component of continuing to meet the needs of the approximately 490,000 electric cooperative members across the state.

To learn more about ACARE, please go to: http://www.arkansasaffordablepower.org/

The Turk Plant is scheduled for completion in late 2012. Once the plant is operational, it will provide 110 permanent jobs, including hundreds in Hempstead County and surrounding counties with an estimated annual payroll of $9 million.

The Turk Power Plant is being built on a 2,800-acre tract between Fulton and McNab, Arkansas, in Hempstead County, about 15 miles northeast of Texarkana. Local school and county tax revenues from the plant are estimated at $3.9 million annually.

Plant construction began in November 2008 and was 50 percent complete in January 2011. Currently, 1,600 people are working at the site. The $1.7 billion project is a huge economic development success for southwest Arkansas.