LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge is disputing a pending settlement between Entergy Arkansas LLC and the National Parks Conservation Association, which calls for a quick closure of several power plants, and is asking the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas to intervene in the case.
According to Rutledge's office, the settlement agreement, which requires Entergy to expedite the closing of power plants co-owned by Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation, could raise rates for more than 1.2 million of the state's residents as well as other customers. The settlement stems from a lawsuit filed by the Sierra Club against Entergy, alleging Clean Air Act violations.
“The terms of the settlement between Entergy and the Sierra Club will directly impact Arkansans’ utility bills,” Rutledge said in a statement. “This settlement has not been properly vetted by the Public Service Commission, my office or other agencies that have the public’s interest at heart.
"Because of the potential negative impacts on Arkansas citizens and businesses, I am seeking an investigation by Entergy’s state regulator, the PSC, and intervention in federal court to ensure that the state’s interest and those of its citizens and businesses are adequately protected." .