Here’s a shocking reality: while many in Eastern Kentucky struggle to make ends meet, their utility bills are about to skyrocket even further. Kentucky Power, already under scrutiny for allegedly overcharging rural residents, is now seeking state approval to pass on half the cost of a $191 million cooling tower project at a West Virginia coal-fired power plant it co-owns. But here’s where it gets controversial: this move could add another $4.59 to the average customer’s bill by 2029—on top of the $26.40 monthly increase already pending in a separate rate case. That’s right, residents in one of America’s poorest regions could soon face over $30 in additional monthly charges, making their utility rates the highest in the state.
The project in question involves replacing a 55-year-old cooling tower with a weakened concrete shell at the Mitchell Power Plant near Moundsville, West Virginia. While Kentucky Power argues this is necessary, critics point out that the plant neither employs Kentucky residents nor uses state-produced coal—a major sticking point that even led former Attorney General Daniel Cameron to oppose the company’s reinvestment in 2021. And this is the part most people miss: despite the Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC) initially ordering the company to terminate its interest in the plant in 2021, it later reversed its decision, ‘reluctantly’ approving the reinvestment last year.
Current Attorney General Russell Coleman has already intervened, calling on the PSC to deny Kentucky Power’s latest rate hike request, accusing the company of exploiting ratepayers. Meanwhile, the company has applied for a federal grant to offset some costs, but it’s unclear how much relief—if any—this would provide to customers. Kentucky Power serves about 165,000 customers in 20 of the state’s easternmost counties, and its parent company, American Electric Power Inc., has reported rising profits over the past two years.
To add insult to injury, Kentucky Power is also seeking to spread out an extra $5 million in natural gas fuel costs incurred during January’s Winter Storm Fern, which brought weeks of sub-freezing temperatures. While this move could lower the average residential bill by $11 next month, it’s a temporary bandage on a much larger wound. A bill currently in the General Assembly (SB 172) would allow utilities to spread fuel surcharges over up to a year, potentially delaying but not solving the affordability crisis.
Is it fair for Kentucky residents to shoulder the burden of a power plant that doesn’t directly benefit their state? Or is this a necessary investment in energy infrastructure? The PSC’s decision will shape the future of utility costs in one of America’s most impoverished regions—and it’s a debate that demands your voice. What do you think? Let us know in the comments.
