Ark. Code Ann. § 23-18-101: Areas of service

(a) Notwithstanding any provisions of law or the terms of any certificate of convenience and necessity, franchise, permit, license, or other authority granted to a public utility or electric cooperative corporation by the state or a municipality, no public utility or electric cooperative corporation shall furnish or offer to furnish electric service at retail and not for resale in any area allocated by the Arkansas Public Service Commission to another electric cooperative corporation or public utility.

(b) No later than ninety (90) days after February 21, 2003, the commission shall commence a rulemaking proceeding to identify and to repeal or amend all rules adopted by the commission to facilitate, or in anticipation of, retail electric competition that are inconsistent with, have been rendered unnecessary by, or have been superseded by this act.