Bentonville and North Little Rock Swap Storm Help — and Hats
Sam Hoisington
April 10, 2025
Bentonville electric crews assist with repairing storm damage in North Little Rock
Bentonville’s electric utility sent staff and equipment to North Little Rock this week to help restore power after storms damaged parts of the city’s electric infrastructure.
It’s the latest example of how Arkansas’ few city-run electric utilities support one another during severe weather events.
In most of Arkansas, electricity is provided by larger regional companies like SWEPCO and Entergy. But 15 cities in the state operate their own electric departments — a tight-knit group that leans on each other during crises.
“The electric municipal world is not very big,” said Travis Matlock, Bentonville’s Electric Utility Director. “There’s only 15 of us in the state of Arkansas.”
The utilities have a mutual aid agreement that allows them to receive help from one another in emergencies.
“They requested some help, and we sent some people down there earlier this week to help them take care of stuff,” Matlock said. “We sent five people. We sent a couple of crew leaders and some linemen, plus the equipment.”
“They were down there for two to three days, working 16-hour days to get everything back on,” he added.
Photos from the recent trip show Bentonville crews working in backyards and tight spaces — a common challenge in North Little Rock, where many lines run through residential yards. Bentonville brought a specialized machine to help crews access those areas.
The work is fully reimbursed through a mutual aid system that is coordinated by the Arkansas Municipal Power Association (AMPA). Both Bentonville and North Little Rock are members.
This time, North Little Rock needed help. But Bentonville relied on the same network after the Memorial Day weekend tornadoes in 2024, when North Little Rock, Conway, and Jonesboro sent crews north.
The connection between cities isn’t just logistical — it’s also symbolic.
After Bentonville crews helped with tornado recovery in central Arkansas in 2023, North Little Rock sent back a batch of hats featuring the city logos of Bentonville, North Little Rock, and AMPA as a gesture of appreciation and solidarity.
A hat sent by North Little Rock’s utility department after Bentonville assisted with tornado recovery in 2023. On the back, it says “STRONGER TOGETHER: Tornado 2023.”
Matlock said the partnership is built on trust and shared experience.
“We helped them in the ’23 tornado. They helped us in the ’24 tornado,” he said. “We went back down to help them in the straight-line wind scenario. So it’s just kind of this continual effort of helping each other out when you need it.”
That help has extended beyond linework. North Little Rock officials also advised Bentonville on navigating the federal reimbursement process for storm recovery — sharing what they learned from their own experience the year before.