OPINION: Submission by Harlan County, KY Judge Executive Dan Mosley
Kentuckians have been faced with high energy bills and increasing costs at the pump and grocery store. These costs will only continue to rise as utility companies plan premature retirements of coal-fired power plants and transition to more expensive, less reliable forms of energy.
Growth and prosperity start with affordable and reliable power. Coal has consistently been the cheapest form of electricity, and for years Kentucky was known for having some of the lowest utility rates in the nation. However, that has changed over the last decade, due to the premature retirement and replacement of coal plants at a time when energy demand is greater than ever.