KENTUCKY — During this “In Focus Kentucky” segment, State Sen. Robby Mills, R-Henderson, joins the program to share details on Senate Bill 349, which passed out the 2024 General Assembly, later vetoed by Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Ky., and then later overturned via veto override by legislators and eventually delivered to the secretary of state’s office for his signature.
SB 349 relates to developing an energy plan for the Commonwealth. Proponents say it’s about electricity reliability, while some opponents have concerns around decommissioning and retirement of coal plants and claim the legislation will waste taxpayer dollars, raise electricity rates and slow down Kentucky’s economy.
Mills explains why he carried this bill during the legislative session that establishes the Energy Planning and Inventory Commission. Mills says part of its role would be to study existing electric generation as well as future demands. Mills says utilities couldn’t retire coal-fired plants without a board review.
“Years ago, when a utility wanted to shut down a power plant, all they had to do was just send a memo to PSC, and they didn’t even have to have a hearing or anything to prove the reason why they were shutting down that power plant and maybe sending customers and trapping customers with higher bills so in the last couple years we have brought on a couple processes that actually requires an independent look at these,” said Mills.
According to Kentucky Energy and Environment cabinet, “of the electricity generated in Kentucky in 2020, 69% was derived through the combustion of coal. The amount of coal-based electricity generation decreased in 2020. Natural gas facilities were the second-largest source of electricity. Due to the presence of coal resources, and the low price of coal, Kentucky has consistently used coal to meet the vast majority of electricity demand within the Commonwealth; however, with the continued retirements of coal units, many have been converted into natural gas units.”
You can watch the full In Focus Kentucky segment in the player above.