From July 2025 through June 2026, fossil fuels supplied almost two-thirds of Arkansas’s electricity consumption, while low-carbon sources provided just over a third. Gas accounted for about 37% of electricity and coal for 28%. Nuclear was the largest clean electricity source, supplying roughly 21% of the total, followed by solar at nearly 9%, hydropower at about 4%, and biofuels at around 1%. Utility-scale solar alone supplied almost 8%. Arkansas therefore has an important clean electricity foundation, but fossil fuels still dominate its electricity mix, contributing to climate change and air pollution.

Is Electricity Growing in Arkansas?

Electricity consumption in Arkansas is growing: the latest 2026 figure reached about 22,100 kWh per person, surpassing the previous record of roughly 21,600 kWh in 2025. That is an increase of 446 kWh per person, or about 2%. However, low-carbon electricity generation did not keep pace. It stood at approximately 7,800 kWh per person, down 185 kWh, or just over 2%, from its 2025 record. Higher electricity consumption can support electrification and growing demand from AI, but the retreat in clean generation is concerning. Arkansas needs low-carbon electricity growth to accompany its rising consumption.

Suggestions

Arkansas can build on its existing nuclear generation by expanding capacity at its current facilities where feasible and considering additional nuclear development, alongside faster solar deployment. Nearby examples offer useful lessons: the US state of Tennessee generates about 32% of its electricity from nuclear, while the US state of South Carolina reaches 52%, demonstrating nuclear’s potential to anchor a clean electricity supply. For solar, the US states of Nevada and California generate about 35% and 31%, respectively—well above Arkansas’s current share. Wind could also diversify the mix, drawing on experience from the neighboring US state of Oklahoma, where it supplies 45% of electricity, and the US state of Kansas, where it supplies almost half. These regions provide practical examples of scaling clean electricity to meet growing demand.

History

The available history covers 2024 through 2026 and shows modest changes followed by a larger setback in total low-carbon generation. In 2024, nuclear generation changed by −0.2 TWh and hydropower by −0.1 TWh, while biofuels added 0.1 TWh. In 2025, all three increased: nuclear added 0.4 TWh, and hydropower and biofuels each added 0.1 TWh. In 2026, nuclear generation changed by −1.1 TWh and hydropower by −0.4 TWh, while wind added 0.2 TWh and biofuels remained unchanged. Overall, that reversal underscores the urgency of sustained investment in Arkansas’s clean electricity supply, especially nuclear and solar, rather than allowing low-carbon output to fall as electricity consumption rises.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

* 12M = Last 12 months (Jul 2025 – Jun 2026) — a rolling 12-month period, not a calendar year.