Regulators on the Kentucky Public Service Fee (PSC) not too long ago accredited Louisville Gasoline and Electrical and Kentucky Utilities’ request to put in 877 MW of photo voltaic era and a 500 MWh battery to generate and retailer energy within the state. This choice represents a nine-fold enhance within the quantity of renewable power LG&E/KU present at this time.
The PSC additionally accredited the utility’s request to retire two coal-fired producing models and three gas-powered models: Mill Creek 1 and a pair of, Haefling 1 and a pair of, and Paddy’s Run 12. LG&E/KU utilized in Could to retire seven fossil fuel-fired electrical producing models. Alongside the retirements, LG&E/KU sought to construct tons of of megawatts of photo voltaic era, a battery and two new gas-powered models.
That is the primary check of a new state legislation that requires utilities to get permission from regulators to retire fossil gasoline energy models. This case demonstrates that below the brand new legislation, coal era can nonetheless be retired whereas sustaining, and even bettering, the reliability of the electrical grid. Sierra Membership’s cross-examination on this case revealed that LG&E/KU’s rolling blackouts throughout Winter Storm Elliott had been due partially to coal-fired era failures in chilly climate.
“Louisville Gasoline and Electrical and Kentucky Utilities’ addition of renewable era and retirement of a number of coal- and gas-fired models mark a major step ahead in making a cleaner, more healthy Kentucky. The big prices to convey these getting older models in step with federal environmental laws would have saddled clients with uneconomic crops that may’t run. Coal has proved to be unreliable, as demonstrated by final December’s rolling blackouts throughout Winter Storm Elliott that had been partially attributable to failures at coal-fired energy crops. Closing these inefficient and unreliable models is totally the precise enterprise choice for LG&E/KU,” mentioned Terrell Holder, chair of Better Louisville Group of the Sierra Membership, in a press assertion.
“The approval of photo voltaic era and battery storage is likewise a major step ahead,” he continued. “As LG&E/KU progresses in its era planning, we urge the utility to proceed to undertake renewable options that may promote affordability and well being for Kentuckians. We additional urge the Fee to analyze whether or not LG&E/KU becoming a member of a broader regional group would supply internet advantages to LG&E/KU clients, together with in mitigating threat of winter climate blackouts.”
Information merchandise from the Sierra Membership
