Arkansas’ Miller County Debuts Energy Efficiency Overhaul with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Countywide Energy Performance Contract results in big annual savings and one of the county’s first solar arrays

Texarkana, Ark. (July 14, 2023) – On Wednesday, July 12, Miller County judge Cathy Hardin Harrison, local officials and residents gathered at 4819 South State Line Rd. for a ribbon cutting to commemorate the installation of one of the county’s first and largest solar arrays.

The 600-kW solar array, installed on eight acres of formerly private land just outside Texarkana city limits, is just one element of a larger countywide conservation effort centered on improving the efficiency of energy and water systems and revitalizing integral county and community facilities. To bolster this revitalization effort, the county partnered with McKinstry, a national construction and energy services firm with a regional office in Arkansas, to develop a comprehensive energy efficiency strategy and implementation plan.

Using an Arkansas Energy Performance Contract (AEPC) and guidance from the Arkansas Energy Office (AEO), the county implemented a multitude of measures including retrofitting flush valves, installing digital and networkable thermostats plus air conditioning, HVAC and LED lighting upgrades. For this project, impacted county facilities include the Michael Meagher Memorial Hospital, courthouse, correctional facility, juvenile detention center, senior center and roads department buildings.

Energy performance contracting is a financing tool used to implement efficiency upgrades that are afforded through annual energy savings. The combination of these upgrades is estimated to deliver $182,811 in annual utility savings and $31,478 in annual operational savings to the county.

Miller County’s leadership in these revitalization efforts demonstrates a dedication to maintaining the longevity of their facilities, improving the community’s climate resiliency and cultivating a healthy, safe resident experience.