In the News

LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — The solar panel system at Little Rock's Veterans Hospital has finally been turned on four years after the project began.

Entergy Arkansas cleared the way Sunday for Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System to power on the solar panels at John L McClellan Memorial Veterans Hospital.

“This is an exciting day for CAVHS,” Dr. Margie Scott, Medical Center director, said. “There have been some delays along the way, and a concerted effort by our engineers and contractor along with Entergy have resulted in a successful test.”

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, three of the four sites are providing power to the hospital as of April 23. The fourth site involved a minor issue that is being addressed and they hope to see power begin to flow from the site soon.

The solar panels have been sitting there turned off for the last four years since being constructed.

In April of 2015, a Channel 7 News investigation revealed those solar panels were not only sitting there unused, but some of those panels were being torn down for the construction of a parking garage.

Congressman French Hill and Sen. John Boozman asked the VA Office of Inspector General for an investigation - the review of the program finding the project in Little Rock was "not adequately planned or managed." It also found the project took four years longer than planned and was over budget by $1.5 million dollars.