Ouachita Electric Cooperative Inks New Solar Power Deal

Ouachita Electric Cooperative of Camden has entered into a service agreement for a 100-kilowatt AC solar array that will be installed by Today’s Power Inc. (TPI).

The Ouachita Electric solar project is a tenKsolar (TKS) Solar REFLECT XT-26 photovoltaic system that will involve approximately 312 solar panels at 410 watts each and will be installed on the Camden cooperative’s campus. The installation will produce enough energy to support the requirements of Ouachita’s headquarters.

Today’s Power is a subsidiary of Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. The solar group has been cutting a number of deals to provide power to groups in Arkansas and Oklahoma in recent months.

“As a member-owned electric cooperative we strive to respond to the desires of our members when it is economically feasible and cost-effective for the membership as a whole,” said Mark Cayce, general manager of Ouachita Electric Cooperative, which has more than 7,040 members and 9,419 meters. “TPI presented our team with a very efficient solar energy package that met our needs. We are excited to continue to explore the possibilities of methods to ultimately keep the rates for our members as reasonable as possible.”

According to Michael Henderson, president of TPI, Ouachita Electric is one of many electric cooperatives launching TPI-based solar programs across the country. He said TPI offers electric cooperatives opportunities to realize savings that previously were only available to taxable companies.

“We continue to experience great interest in our product offering due to the strength of the package, which offers maximum energy density, twenty percent more energy than other fixed tilt solar systems and requires approximately 40 percent less space than traditional systems,” Henderson said. “TPI provides a solar energy solution that involves relatively low capital investment and can ultimately lower the power cost for electric cooperative members.”