In short: Northwest Arkansas is split among SWEPCO, two co-ops and Bentonville’s city utility, at about 11.5¢ to 13¢ per kWh in 2024. The May 2024 Memorial Day storms knocked out about 94,100 Benton County customers at the peak, and FEMA rates ice storms “very high” in both Benton and Washington counties.
This page covers Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers and Bentonville. Your utility decides your solar credit, your EV rate and how an outage gets fixed, so start by checking your bill. For statewide rules and contractor licensing, see our Arkansas energy guide.
Northwest Arkansas at a glance
- SWEPCO (Southwestern Electric Power Company): parts of all four cities; about 11.53¢ per kWh for Arkansas homes in 2024; 978 minutes without power per customer counting major storms, 248 on normal days (EIA-861, 2024).
- Carroll Electric Cooperative: much of Benton County, including parts of Rogers, Bentonville and Springdale; about 12.25¢; 1,796 minutes counting major storms but only 161 on normal days.
- Ozarks Electric Cooperative: Fayetteville and much of Washington County; about 13.03¢; 182 minutes with major storms, 83 without, the best record of the four.
- City of Bentonville (Bentonville Utilities): city-owned; about 11.65¢. EIA lists 413 home solar systems on its lines in 2024. Edges of the area are served by OG&E, Empire District or Arkansas Valley Electric; check your bill.
- Sun: 4.43 kWh per square meter per day in Fayetteville (NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020), about 1,290 kWh a year per kW of panels by our rough estimate, with the weakest December sun of our Arkansas metros.
- Top hazards: Washington County rates “very high” for ice storms and winter weather and “relatively high” for hail, heat waves, lightning and tornadoes; Benton County rates ice storms “very high” (FEMA National Risk Index).
- Public charging: 131 public ports in Bentonville, 89 in Fayetteville, 42 in Springdale and 32 in Rogers (AFDC, October 3, 2026).
Your utility and what it means
All four utilities follow Act 278: systems that applied after September 2024 save the full retail price on solar used at home, while exports earn only an avoided-cost rate (explained on the state page).
SWEPCO. SWEPCO’s solar page says it does not sell panels or partner with any seller, that most panels shut off in an outage unless built for backup, and that you apply and pass inspection before signing its agreement. A backup generator needs no application if it is strictly backup; a “make-before-break” system may need approval. Arkansas base rates changed in February 2026, and SWEPCO filed a rate review in August 2026 that, if approved, would add about $4.48 a month for a home using 890 kWh from February 2027 (SWEPCO Arkansas rates).
Ozarks Electric. Exports earn avoided cost based on the prior year’s filed rate; credits roll over and never expire, but only reduce the energy part of the bill. You need a lockable, visible AC disconnect within 3 feet of the meter, and a battery is allowed if it only charges from your solar and cannot feed the grid. Ozarks also offers an EV rate: the first 400 kWh used each month between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. cost $0.0563 per kWh, with a $250 rebate on a qualifying Level 2 charger. All home use in that window is billed on the EV rate (Ozarks EV rate).
Carroll Electric. Carroll’s net metering page is frank: fewer than 2% of its customers have solar, it has worked with more than 120 installers but fewer than 20% were still installing in 2025, its tariff runs 66 pages, and a standard system gives no power in an outage. It suggests getting several proposals and calling its member services before signing.
Bentonville Utilities. Ask the city utility for its solar and interconnection rules before you sign.
Backup power in Northwest Arkansas
On May 26, 2024, storms with at least seven tornadoes and hurricane-strength straight-line winds hit Benton County. SWEPCO reported a combined peak of about 94,100 customers out, out of roughly 104,100 households: about 19,000 on SWEPCO, 65,000 on Carroll Electric and 10,100 on Bentonville’s system. SWEPCO alone replaced about 500 broken poles, and the hardest-hit parts of Rogers and Monte Ne waited about a week, until SWEPCO reported 99% restored on June 3. That storm helps explain why Carroll’s and SWEPCO’s 2024 totals are so much higher than their normal-day figures.
- Multi-day outages: a standby generator on natural gas avoids refueling on blocked roads; a portable unit needs a transfer switch installed by a licensed electrician. Size it with the generator sizing calculator.
- Ice storms: keep a gas furnace’s blower running on a modest generator or a home battery; a heat pump needs far more power.
- Short outages: a portable power station covers phones, lights, internet and a CPAP. Compare options in backup power.
Run a generator outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house and never in a garage, with carbon monoxide alarms inside. After a storm, SWEPCO notes some properties need an electrician before power can be reconnected. Read generator installation.
Solar in Northwest Arkansas
Each kW of panels makes about 1,290 kWh a year here by our estimate. Used as it is produced, that is worth about $149 a year on SWEPCO, $158 on Carroll, $168 on Ozarks and $151 on Bentonville Utilities at 2024 prices; exports are worth far less. These are estimates, not promises. Size the system to your daytime use, and get proposals that state the export rate they assume.
Panels shut off in an outage unless paired with a battery, and ice and snow cut winter output. Try the solar potential calculator and read solar costs and solar installation.
Home batteries in Northwest Arkansas
A battery stores midday solar for the evening instead of exporting it at avoided cost, and it is the only way grid-tied solar keeps lights on in an outage. Ozarks Electric allows a battery that charges only from your panels; ask SWEPCO, Carroll or Bentonville about their rules first. For a week-long outage like May 2024, pair a battery with a generator. See battery installation, home battery cost and the battery backup calculator.
EV charging in Northwest Arkansas
Bentonville has 131 public ports and Fayetteville 89. At home, about 30 kWh per 100 miles costs about $3.45 on SWEPCO, $3.70 on Carroll and $3.90 on Ozarks at standard 2024 prices, or about $1.70 inside Ozarks’ 400 kWh off-peak block (estimates). A Level 2 charger needs a 240-volt circuit and a permit: see EV charger installation and the EV charging cost calculator.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Fayetteville: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Permits and inspections
- Fayetteville: Building Safety’s solar page says home solar needs both an electrical and a building permit, offers a PV permitting checklist and reviews rooftop systems within three business days; the electrical permit needs a licensed master electrician.
- Bentonville: the Building and Fire Safety Division issues permits; home solar is a Residential Alteration Permit (subtype Solar Panels) on eTrakit, with roof and site plans and a wiring diagram.
- Rogers: the contractor submits residential solar permits online; roof systems need a stamped structural engineer’s roof letter and a wiring (riser) diagram.
- Springdale: the Building Inspection Department issues building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits.
Outside city limits, ask Benton or Washington County. Use licensed contractors (license checks on the Arkansas page). In HOA neighborhoods, check rules on panels and generator placement first.
Cities we cover
- Fayetteville
- Springdale
- Rogers
- Bentonville
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Northwest Arkansas energy FAQ
Who is my electric utility in Northwest Arkansas?
It depends on the street. SWEPCO, Carroll Electric, Ozarks Electric and the City of Bentonville all serve parts of the four main cities, and OG&E, Empire District or Arkansas Valley Electric serve some edges. The utility name is on your bill.
How bad were the May 2024 storms for power?
SWEPCO reported a combined peak of about 94,100 customers out in Benton County, including 65,000 on Carroll Electric, 19,000 on SWEPCO and 10,100 on Bentonville’s system. SWEPCO reported 99% restored eight days later, on June 3.
Does Ozarks Electric have an EV charging rate?
Yes. The first 400 kWh used each month between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. cost $0.0563 per kWh, and the rate includes a $250 rebate on a qualifying Level 2 charger. All home use in those hours is billed on the EV rate.
Do I need a permit for solar in Rogers?
Yes. The contractor submits the residential solar permit online, with a stamped structural engineer’s roof letter for roof systems and a wiring diagram. The utility’s interconnection approval is separate.
Sources
U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861 for 2024, read October 3, 2026. SWEPCO solar page, Arkansas rates page and storm releases of June 1 and June 3, 2024; Ozarks Electric net metering and EV rate pages; Carroll Electric net metering page and tariff, read October 3, 2026. Cities of Fayetteville, Bentonville, Rogers and Springdale permit pages. FEMA National Risk Index. NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020. AFDC Station Locator, October 3, 2026.