April 6, 2021 (Pulaski County)—With a flip of the switch today, County Judge Barry Hyde dedicated a 756-panel solar array near the Pulaski County Detention Center, intended to minimize the county’s expenses for electricity consumption.

Today’s Power Inc. (TPI) formally interconnected the solar project for Pulaski County to the grid, the first of two county-based solar projects planned in 2019.  Once completed, both projects combined will equal a total capacity of 86 percent of the county’s existing electricity demand.

“Pulaski County led the effort to open access for non-profits and counties to use reliable, renewable energy in 2019, and now we are proud to have ‘flipped the switch’ on a solar array dedicated to Pulaski County’s use,” said County Judge Barry Hyde.

“This project will result in significant financial savings to Pulaski County. Those savings will allow us to divert funds to more impactful services such as youth services, emergency management, or public works. This is the right thing to do, environmentally and financially.”

Today’s Power, Inc. (TPI) was chosen by Pulaski County in 2019 to provide solar-produced power for county use. Work on the 250-kW system began in late 2020 and was completed in April 2021, after all regulatory and utility approvals were issued. For the length of the 20-year agreement, the county will purchase electricity generated by the array at 4.9 cents per kilowatt-hour. TPI is going to finance, operate and own 100% of the solar array.

“Through technology and partnership, this project exemplifies a forward-thinking approach to meeting Pulaski County’s future needs,” according to TPI President Michael Henderson. “This project will provide Pulaski County with cost-effective energy security, and we appreciate Judge Barry Hyde’s foresight and the county’s willingness to take on a project like this to promote Pulaski County’s environmental and economic development,” he added.

The second phase of this project, which will consist of a TPI 4.6 MW fixed-tilt solar array located in the Little Rock Port Authority Industrial Park, is currently pending approval by the Arkansas Public Service Commission. This system is projected to be completed in 2021.

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More Information:

The solar project is made possible through Act 464 of 2019, passed by the Arkansas General Assembly, which allows governmental entities to net-meter renewable energy purchased from a private producer. This arrangement reduces costs, in part by preserving federal tax incentives available for investments in power-producing solar facilities.

 

About Today’s Power

Today’s Power, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. (AECI), a Little Rock-based utility service cooperative owned by 17 Arkansas electric distribution cooperatives. Today’s Power, Inc. offers turn-key solar photovoltaic systems, energy storage systems, electric vehicles and charging stations for all sizes and applications.

TPI’s unique approach to in-depth analysis of utility rates and billing allows it to design renewable energy systems and manage that energy to maximize the benefits of solar and storage for not-for-profit as well as for-profit entities.

For more information:

Jennah Denney – Marketing & Public Relations Coordinator – Today’s Power, Inc. 501-400-5548 or jdenney@todayspower.com

About Pulaski County

Pulaski County was created in 1818 and is one of Arkansas’s original five counties. Pulaski County is a political subdivision of the State of Arkansas for the administration of justice and local government. It provides services to citizens of Pulaski County, such as housing programs, youth programs, and road and bridge maintenance. Barry Hyde is serving his third term as County Judge.

Pulaski County, Ark. (01/26/21) – Pulaski County announced today it will participate in the national Advancing Pretrial Policy and Research (APPR) initiative as a Research-Action Site. Working in partnership with researchers and justice experts, this effort will result in improvements to our pretrial justice system in ways that prioritize the safety of our residents, reduce discrimination based on wealth and race, and ensure that incarceration is reserved only for those who jeopardize public safety.

As an APPR Research-Action Site, Pulaski County will receive intensive assistance from justice experts to study our pretrial system, understand our data, and design and implement research-based strategies that are responsive to local needs.

“Currently, the pretrial experience for people in Pulaski can vary depending on which judge handles the case. Our hope is to set a uniform path—from arrest to trial—for everyone,” said Circuit Court Judge Herb Wright in an interview with APPR. “We believe this path will lead to a fairer, more equitable system for people who are accused of a crime.”

Pulaski County will be a member of the APPR initiative for five years. The first year will involve a robust planning process of research and analyses, guided by local justice system leaders that include:

• Circuit Courts,
• District Courts,
• County Judge’s Office,
• Sheriff’s Office,
• Prosecuting Attorney’s Office,
• Public Defender’s Commission,
• Pulaski County Crisis Stabilization Unit Director,
• UAMS College of Public Health, and
• Local drug and alcohol abuse facilities and community advocates.

“This is a monumental step in Pulaski County toward criminal justice reform. I’m honored to support the policy team by facilitating state actors and County resources, for a plan to improve the existing pretrial system and eventually implement a pretrial assessment tool,” said Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde.

Additional pretrial advancements will follow after the planning phase. These could include improvements successfully implemented by other jurisdictions, such as:

• consistency and uniformity in pretrial processes
• streamlining of pretrial processes
• identifying opportunities to divert appropriate individuals from traditional criminal justice processing; and
• developing robust pretrial services to support people before their court dates.

Improvements identified in Pulaski County will be disseminated widely to advance research-based pretrial policies and practices nationally.

See policy team list

Judge Herb Wright Interview

ABOUT APPR

Through research, technical assistance, and online learning, APPR is dedicated to achieving fair, just, effective pretrial practices, every day, throughout the nation. A project of the National Partnership for Pretrial Justice, APPR is led by the Center for Effective Public Policy with support from Arnold Ventures. Independent research is being conducted by RTI International. Learn more at advancingpretrial.org.

In effort to keep county building visitors and county employees safe, County Judge Barry Hyde has extended his executive order to limit visitors to county buildings. Court proceedings will continue. County Circuit Judges have been instructed to coordinate jury trials with the County Judges Office. Many services can be accessed online. Find the appropriate department here.

Covid-19 Executive Order

No routes will run on Christmas Day, Friday, Dec. 25.  Routes will resume and run one day late on Saturday, Dec. 26.   All county offices including the sanitation office are closed Thursday, Dec. 24 and Friday, Dec. 25. ​