A recently commissioned and completed study has highlighted that two new state laws — Senate Bill 4 and Senate Bill 349 — are throttling what should be a transition to “cheaper, cleaner and a more dependable energy portfolio” in the Commonwealth.
This is according to independent analysis from the Kentucky Resources Council, the Mountain Association, the Metropolitan Housing Coalition and Earthjustice, who together released their findings late last week — noting that aging coal-fired plants should be replaced with renewable energy sources, battery storage operations and general efficiency investments, like new appliances, in order to create more than $2 billion in customer savings by 2050, while increasing grid reliability and affordability.
KRC Executive Director Ashley Wilmes, alongside legal counsel, said the biggest chunks of savings over the next four decades could come not only from replacing coal and gas-fired operations, but also from using new and improved technologies.
This report, she added, highlights three specific ideals:
+ That continued reliance on Kentucky’s aging fleet is no longer the lowest-cost option
+ That calls for much more renewable energy and battery storage are getting louder
+ And that there is a growing need for stronger energy efficiency strategies
MHC Executive Director Tony Curtis said that a more modern, diverse energy profile would “strengthen Kentucky’s grid resilience” during periods of extreme heat and/or cold — something the state is experiencing more frequently — and that rising utility costs actually threaten home ownership, especially for those in low- and fixed-income situations.
At present, he added one in every three Kentuckians struggles to afford a monthly energy bill.
Mountain Association President Robin Gabbard said business owners in her region are “struggling daily” with increased and still increasing electric rates, only exacerbating the issue.
One of the biggest questions has always been: “How are coal jobs in Kentucky impacted, if government shifts to a more diverse generation profile?” After all, according to the University of Kentucky, the Commonwealth is still third in the nation in coal production, and more than 8 billion tons of coal have been produced from the two Kentucky coal fields for the past 200 years — the first significant surface mining beginning in 1922 throughout Hopkins County.
Wilmes confirmed that Kentucky, however, doesn’t use the bulk of its mined coal in local electricity production, and this tracks. Per the University of Kentucky, again, roughly 19% of the coal mined in the state meets about 45% of all demands — with the rest serving as a key export. Furthermore, she noted that jobs created would likely outpace potential jobs lost, if this plan were to be implemented in some fashion.
The report also claims that the “least-cost portfolio” does reduce carbon emissions by more than 500 million tons relative to current utility plans, but doesn’t fully dismiss the use of coal or gas-powered plants — and that a 95% clean electricity allotment can be created by 2050, especially through solar, wind and energy storage facilities.
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