Lexington leaders raise issues with solar energy plan - WKYT

Lexington leaders raise issues with solar energy plan

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - The not-for-profit electric cooperative, East Kentucky Power, wants to build solar panels on a 384-acre site at the far eastern edge of Fayette County, between I-64 and U.S. 60, close to the Fayette/Clark County line.

“In the long term, solar is long lasting. The solar manufacturers’ standard warranty on output is 25 years. So there’s a lot of clean energy that gets produced when solar gets installed,” said Joshua Bills, the Senior Energy Analyst.

Bills explained the power co-op also gets an exceptional deal to build solar facilities, thanks to federal legislation designed to boost clean energy. Now this proposed farm is expected to generate 40 megawatts of power, enough to power about 4,500 homes.

EKPC CEO Tony Campbell said in a statement this would help ‘to meet the growing demand for sustainable energy, especially among businesses and industries.’

But Lexington City Leaders hope to halt the plans, for now.

“If there is interest in making the best project possible, people should be looking at what kinds of plans or parameters are in place. Like is there a plan for decommissioning when the life is over?”

Mayor Linda Gorton’s office petitioned the Kentucky Public Service Commission to intervene in the case.

Gorton said in a statement, ‘We need time to study and create a plan.’ Going on to say, ‘we should have a say in determining the siting of such projects.’

“You know, there is this growing trend to incorporate and combine agriculture with solar production, which you now would be harder to do on a natural gas or coal power plant.”

East Kentucky Power also plans to add another solar farm in Marion County. Combined with the Fayette County Farm, they could produce enough electricity to meet the annual power needs of more than 15,000 homes.

There is a public meeting for the Marion County Project Thursday night.

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