Eastern Kentucky families are already struggling to keep up with soaring energy costs. Now Kentucky Power wants to charge us even more—so they can pour $138 million into a 54-year-old coal-fired plant in West Virginia that doesn’t even burn Kentucky coal, employ Kentucky workers, or pay Kentucky taxes.

If approved, this plan could cause our energy bills to spike by up to 22%, hitting already-strained households with an extra $40 a month. That’s not just unfair—it’s irresponsible.

The Mitchell Power Plant isn’t just outdated—it’s environmentally unsound. The plant’s coal ash ponds need major renovations to meet federal environmental rules, and it operates at only 25% of its capacity, far below the regional average. Meanwhile, Kentucky Power refuses to seriously consider cheaper, cleaner alternatives—like converting the plant to natural gas or buying power on the open market. Instead, they're trying to revive a failed investment plan the Public Service Commission already rejected in 2021 because it lacked evidence the plant upgrades were cost-effective.

This is about more than dollars and cents. It’s about who bears the burden of bad decisions. Eastern Kentucky shouldn’t be stuck paying for a plant that offers no local benefit and no long-term future. Investing in aging coal infrastructure while the rest of the country moves toward cleaner energy will leave our communities behind—both economically and environmentally.

We call on the Kentucky Public Service Commission to reject this wasteful, unnecessary reinvestment in the Mitchell Power Plant and protect Eastern Kentucky ratepayers from unfair utility rate hikes. It’s time to prioritize affordable bills, local jobs, and a cleaner energy future—not bailouts for aging, out-of-state coal plants.