Arkansas Act 373 of 2025: advanced-energy strategic investment rider

Arkansas Act 373, approved 20 March 2025, lets a utility recover commission-approved strategic investments in advanced energy technologies, a term that includes modular nuclear reactors and other technologies. Existing nuclear generation already serving Arkansas customers is carved out of the new public-interest prerequisite. The act is cost recovery, not a construction permit.

Category: Laws, rules and executive directives
Status: In effect
Instrument: statute · Arkansas Code § 23-4-1308, enacted by Act 373 of 2025
Issued by: Arkansas General Assembly
Jurisdiction: Arkansas
Affects: Utility cost recovery
In effect from: 20 Mar 2025 · actual · day
Expiry or completion: None recorded
Operative text: Arkansas Act 373 of 2025 (SB 307), enrolled act (Enrolled Act 373 PDF opened 4 October 2026; current code compilation not opened)
Last checked · next review: 2026-10-04 · 2027-04-15

Legal and geographic scope

Enrolled session law enacting a Public Service Commission cost-recovery section. After a public-interest finding, a utility may recover commission-approved strategic investments and feasibility-study costs for advanced energy technologies through a rider. Modular nuclear reactors are one listed technology, alongside non-nuclear technologies. A facility already using advanced energy technologies to serve Arkansas customers, including nuclear generation, is not subject to the new public-interest prerequisite. Recovery follows an existing siting or prudence approval path. The act does not issue a siting certificate.

Not approved or still pending

No commission public-interest finding or rider order was opened. The current code compilation was not opened, so a later amendment is not ruled out. No award amount is stated. No project is linked. The rider does not permit a reactor.

Dated lifecycle

20 Mar 2025 · actual · day · Enacted — The enrolled act prints APPROVED: 3/20/25. (Arkansas Act 373 of 2025 (SB 307), enrolled act)
20 Mar 2025 · actual · day · Took effect — Emergency clause: the enrolled act is effective on the date of the Governor's approval. The current code page returned HTTP 500 and an empty file, so this status is the enrolled act, not a confirmation that the compiled section still reads this way. (Arkansas Act 373 of 2025 (SB 307), enrolled act)

Definitions in this instrument

Advanced energy technologies (Arkansas Code § 23-4-1308(a)(3), as enacted by Act 373 of 2025): Includes, without limitation, modular nuclear reactors, new nuclear generation technologies, and several non-nuclear technologies such as hydrogen, geothermal, renewable natural gas, biomass, hydroelectric generation, and specified emissions-capture equipment.
Legal definition used by this instrument only; SMRMap's inclusion rule for SMRs is separate and unchanged.

Projects or designs named by the source

None. Location in this jurisdiction does not make a project eligible for, or approved under, this measure.

Sources

Arkansas Act 373 of 2025 (SB 307), enrolled act (government_primary, accessed 2026-10-04)