Kentucky should plan for data center power demand before approving projects
A guest columnist argues that Kentucky should establish energy, cost-allocation and land-use rules before approving major data center projects. The article urges large-load customers to pay for the infrastructure they require and recommends preserving dependable coal generation while the state evaluates future demand.
Eric King, executive director of Kentucky's Energy Planning and Inventory Commission, argues that the state can attract data center investment while protecting existing electricity customers. He says utilities and regulators should require application fees, upfront infrastructure payments, financial guarantees, minimum billing commitments and protections against stranded costs from projects that do not materialize.
King highlights EPIC's statewide planning work and its development of the Kentucky Electricity Adequacy Plan, which will assess demand, generation and transmission needs. He also calls for preserving and modernizing viable coal plants, improving federal interconnection processes and ensuring local officials and residents have enough information to evaluate data center impacts on land, water and infrastructure. The piece is an opinion column rather than a report on a specific project or government decision.