American Electric Power sees the light
American Electric Power made big news today about what to do with its Big Sandy coal-burning power plant located in Louisa, Kentucky.
This morning, the New York Times published a front page article about the debate over the future of that plant. By late this afternoon, AEP announced that it will scrap plans to sink about $1 billion into the pollution control equipment necessary to keep operating that plant.
Until today, AEP had been pushing a plan to upgrade the old power plant that would have resulted in a 30% rate increase for customers throughout eastern Kentucky and cost the average household an extra $500 a year. The plant, which was built in the 1960s, is a major source of air pollution. In 2009 it was ranked among the 50 dirtiest coal plants in the U.S. The facility cannot comply with federal clean air standards without costly renovations.
Many local KFTC members, along with organizations like Earthjustice and the Sierra Club, criticized the company's plan as wasteful and too expensive, and called for AEP to seize the opportunity to invest in cleaner and cheaper energy solutions.
As Patty Wallace, a resident of Louisa and former KFTC chairperson explained:
“I went to the hearing and listened to AEP explain their plan. Their own presentation showed exactly why the proposal to invest more money in that old coal plant made no sense. On top of our existing bills, all of us would have to pay a billion dollars in surcharges. I said, ‘We’d be fossil fools for sure to do that.’ I’m glad to see that they are beginning to pay attention to what’s going on in the world. It’s time to invest in energy efficiency and clean energy.”
It's not yet clear what the company's intentions are going forward. However, today's news opens the door for AEP to make significant investments in energy efficiency programs and renewable energy solutions that could create local jobs, benefit Kentucky ratepayers, and generate positive outcomes for our health and environment.
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