Utility Proposes Building Two New $1.4B Natural-Gas Plants in ... - Public News Service

Utility Proposes Building Two New 1 4B Natural Gas Plants in Kentucky / Public News Service

Kentucky's major utilities, Louisville Gas & Electric and Kentucky Utilities, are asking the state's Public Service Commission to approve a plan to build natural-gas power plants in Louisville and Mercer County - and residents can voice their input on the plan at a virtual public hearing tomorrow afternoon.

Critics and environmental groups say they're concerned about the long-term impact on ratepayers - the total cost of the projects are estimated at more than $1 billion - and the environmental footprint.

Carrie Ray - director of energy programs with the Mountain Association - said the plants will be cranking out greenhouse emissions for decades, amid an uncertain future for the price of natural gas.

"However, we do know that natural-gas prices are extremely volatile," said Ray. "And we know that investing in plants like this is is locking LG&E and KU customers into the costs of this power plant again, for 40 years."

The utilities contend their proposal also includes investments in in solar and battery-storage facilities to meet projected energy needs. For more information on joining the virtual meeting at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time tomorrow, visit psc.ky.gov.

Ray said the utilities' plan to build a plant in the predominantly Black area of West Louisville will increase health risks for the city's most vulnerable residents, noting that communities of color and low-income communities in the state disproportionately bear the burden of polluting industries...

"And suffer from increased heart disease, increased levels of asthma and respiratory illnesses and cancer," said Ray. "So from an environmental-justice standpoint, in particular, this West Louisville plant is very concerning."

She said she believes the utilities could focus on improving residential and commercial energy efficiency, along with investing more in renewables.

"We believe there are alternatives to building these plants that both the Public Service Commission and LG&E KU need to be at digging into more thoroughly," said Ray, "before saying that the only choice is to lock ourselves into 40 more years of natural gas."

An in-person meeting on the proposal will be held in Louisville this Wednesday at the Louisville Free Public Library. Comments can also be submitted via email to 'PSC.comment@ky.gov.'

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A proposed Dominion Energy power plant has Virginia environmental groups in an uproar.

The Chesterfield Energy Reliability Center would be a gas-powered plant near the James River. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2025, with the plant opening in 2027.

The Virginia Clean Economy Act calls for Dominion to be using 100% renewable electricity by 2045.

Cale Jaffe, director of the environmental law and community engagement clinic at the University of Virginia, described problems he believes could arise from Dominion going forward with development of the plant.

"One possibility, that we're going to retire this plant halfway through its life at an exorbitant cost," Jaffe outlined. "The other possibility is Dominion is not planning to meet the Virginia Clean Economy Act target to retire all of its fossil generation in the Commonwealth by 2045."

Dominion countered the plant would be used to provide support during busier times of year, powering 250,000 homes at peak output. The company pointed out the plant aligns with Gov. Glenn Youngkin's energy plan, which involves using a mix of power sources ranging from renewables to natural gas, nuclear and biomass.

Groups backing cleaner energy options said there are plenty of options to fill the role of the Chesterfield plant.

Gustavo Angeles, environmental justice program manager for the Virginia chapter of the Sierra Club, said offshore wind could be a solution.

"The offshore wind also has huge potential," Angeles argued. "We'll start seeing the developments now and more industry will come in the upcoming years. But this is the type of energy that we need to start looking for, that it will be reliable, and there is plenty on Earth."

The Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Farm will provide the state with enough electricity to power 660,000 homes using a projected 10 gigawatts. A 2021 report found Virginia has the potential to create more than 220,000 terawatts of offshore wind by 2050.

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