MILLS CONTINUES TO FIGHT FOR ENERGY SECURITY;
COMMON SENSE POLICY FOR THE COMMONWEALTH
FRANKFORT, KY (March 12, 2024) – The following is a statement from Sen. Robby Mills, R-Henderson, following the Senate's approval of Senate Bill 349 (SB 349):
"Reliable and affordable energy for all Kentuckians has been one of my top priorities since being elected to the General Assembly," said Mills. "It's imperative we ensure Kentucky has the energy generation necessary to meet the needs of Kentuckians not just today but also tomorrow.
"With the passage of SB 349, we'll create the Energy Planning and Inventory Commission (EPIC), which will be tasked with creating a broad and all-the-above energy strategy to better meet Kentucky's energy needs while promoting transparency by informing the public about the best practices and approaches needed to guarantee that Kentucky maintains a reliable, resilient, and secure electric grid."
Additional Information on SB 349
Commission members will include a diverse group of stakeholders representing all forms of energy sources (coal, nuclear, renewables, natural gas), utilities, industrial users, residential users, and representatives from the banking and business sectors. Members will be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate.
The Center for Applied Energy Research at the University of Kentucky will provide administrative oversight for EPIC.
The executive committee is required to issue a report within 270 days of the utility's notice, including the impact of the proposed retirement on the available power supply and ability to meet future demand growth, identify alternatives that should be considered before retirement, potential revenue losses, economic impacts on the state and local economy, and ability to meet energy needs for current or future economic development. The commission's executive committee findings will be submitted to the Public Service Committee (PSC).
The PSC will be required to ensure any replacement energy capacity has the same or higher capability unless the utility can demonstrate that such capacity value is unnecessary to provide reliable service.
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Senator Robby Mills, R-Henderson, represents the 4th Senate District, including Henderson, Hopkins, Union, and Webster Counties. He serves as Senate State and Local Government Committee chair and is a Senate Economic Development, Tourism and Labor; Natural Resources; and Energy and Transportation committee member. Additionally, he is a Public Pension Oversight Board member and a member of the Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government, Finance and Public Protection.
For a high-resolution .jpeg of Mills, please visit: https://legislature.ky.gov/Legislators%20Full%20Res%20Images/senate104.jpg.
