Fayetteville Government Channel
Meeting Info
A special meeting of the Fayetteville City Council begins at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2021. It is lived streamed on the city’s YouTube channel and held virtually (Zoom link).
Listed below are the items up for approval and links to PDF documents with detailed information on each item of business.
Roll Call
Present: D’Andre Jones, Mark Kinion, Matthew Petty, Mayor Lioneld Jordan, Sloan Scroggin, Sarah Bunch, Teresa Turk, Holly Hertzberg
Absent: Sonia Gutierrez
» View current attendance records
New Business
1. Southwestern Electric Power Company to Increase Rates (Details):
A resolution to authorize the city attorney to file a motion to intervene on behalf of the City of Fayetteville in Arkansas Public Service Commission Proceeding 21-070-U and oppose the application of Southwestern Electric Power Company to increase its rates.
– Pass 7-0
Background:
SWEPCO in July submitted a request to the Arkansas Public Service Commission to update its prices to help pay for operation, maintenance and capital for its generation units associated with several utility distribution and generation upgrades, including: new wind power generation facilities in Oklahoma; upgrades to the Flint Cleek Coal Plant in Benton County; transmission and distribution improvements to increase reliability of service to customers; along with new tariffs for EV, lighting and other measures.
City staff said if approved, the new rates would likely go into effect in mid-2022. A Fayetteville residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month would see a total bill of $130.20, which represents an overall bill increase of $18.89 per month, or about 17%, according to staff documents. Commercial, industrial and public customers would see about an 8% rate increase, the documents show.
The commission allows any person or entity whose interest may be directly affected by commission action to intervene as a party to any docket. With the city’s expected increase estimated at $80,000 per year, and with a $10 million overall estimated increase for residents, businesses and other institutions in Fayetteville, city staff would like the council’s permission to intervene.
Discussion:
Two residents spoke in favor of the resolution during public comment.
Council Member Turk said the city should intervene on behalf of both the residents, but also on behalf of the environment. Mayor Jordan agreed.
Decision:
The council voted 7-0 to approve the resolution. Gutierrez was absent.
Adjourned
This meeting was adjourned at 4:44 p.m.
