Louisville Gas and Electric Company (LG&E) and Kentucky Utilities Company (KU), subsidiaries of PPL Corporation, have obtained approval from the Kentucky Public Service Commission (KPSC) to replace a 600MW coal plant with 1GW of solar PV and energy storage by 2027. The utilities plan to add 240MW of company-owned solar PV and acquire an additional 650MW through power purchase agreements (PPAs). Alongside the solar capacity, they will construct 125MW of battery storage.
The owned solar capacity will consist of two arrays, including a 120MW facility in Mercer County, and the acquisition of another in Marion County. To secure the remaining 650MW solar PV capacity, the utilities will enter into four PPAs. The Kentucky Public Service Commission's approval reflects a significant step towards the transition to renewable energy.
John Crockett, President of LG&E and KU, expressed satisfaction with the commission's approval of various aspects of their plan, emphasizing the commitment to serving customers safely and reliably. However, concerns were raised about the potential increase in costs to customers due to the deferral of the second NGCC (natural gas combined cycle) unit.
Combined, LG&E and KU serve over 1.3 million customers, with LG&E covering Louisville and 16 surrounding counties, and KU covering 77 counties in Kentucky and five counties in Virginia. The transition to solar and energy storage aligns with the utilities' efforts to advance renewable energy and reduce reliance on traditional coal-based power generation.
