Ricky Junquera, 617.599.7048, ricky.junquera@sierraclub.org
On Friday, June 22, the Owensboro Municipal Utilities Commission voted to approve a power supply plan that includes a power purchase agreement (PPA) for eight years of coal-fired generation from Big Rivers Electric Corporation’s aging coal fleet, plus a PPA for 30-36 MW of solar power to be purchased in cooperation with Kentucky Municipal Energy Agency (KyMEA).
The commission also approved a potentially earlier-than-planned retirement date for OMU’s Elmer Smith Station coal plant, upon implementation of the Big Rivers PPA in June 2020 or earlier. The contract with Big Rivers will continue through December 31, 2026. The plan needs to be approved by the Rural Utilities Service and the Kentucky Public Services Commission.
In response, Kari Miller, chair of the Pennyrile Group of the Sierra Club, released this statement:
“We are pleased to see OMU make a decision that does not involve long-term commitment to risky natural gas and that acknowledges solar as an affordable and low-risk source of energy for our community. While we are concerned about the decision to purchase coal-fired energy from a fading industry, we are happy to see the integration of renewable energy and hope that this relatively short-term commitment will allow us to expand our clean energy portfolio when the power purchase agreement ends in 2026. We also call on OMU to share the costs of these contracts so customers know what they’re paying for.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.