$81 Million Federal Grant To Help Build $1.3 Billion Lewis Ridge Pumped Storage Hydropower Facility in Bell County

On March 21, 2024, Gov. Andy Beshear joined the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to announce that the Lewis Ridge Pumped Storage Project was approved for an up-to-$81 million federal grant to help construct a first-of-its-kind $1.3 billion coal-to-pumped storage hydropower facility in Bell County.

When complete, the Lewis Ridge Project will be one of the first pumped storage hydropower facilities constructed in the U.S. in more than 30 years – and the first ever to be built on former mine land. It will breathe new life into Eastern Kentucky communities that have experienced population decline in recent years while improving grid reliability.

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The DOE Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) selected the Lewis Ridge project as one of the five clean energy projects in Arizona, Kentucky, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia to accelerate clean energy deployment by supporting diverse, locally driven clean energy projects that can be replicated in current and former mining communities across the country. To review the OCED’s announcement, here is the website.

Collaborative Blueprint Presents Ten Priorities for Kentucky

The Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development (KCED) and the Kentucky Association for Economic Development (KAED) have jointly prepared the Collaborative Blueprint for Kentucky. It lays out an economic development blueprint that economic developers and their stakeholders could follow to spur growth in Kentucky over the next five years. It emphasizes a set of priorities, including five priority sectors and five priority enablers that will help realize growth in priority sectors, where economic developers may choose to align, prioritize, and act to generate growth for the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

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Bluegrass Greensource Announces Main Street Clean Sweep 2024

Bluegrass Greensource will be holding the 11th Annual Main Street Clean Sweep in celebration of the 54th Earth Day. This Earth Month, local community coordinators will work with Bluegrass Greensource to host cleanup events in 20 locations throughout Central Kentucky. Each community's volunteers will join to clean up litter from city streets, parks, and local waterways. In 2023, nearly 800 volunteers worked to pick up over 9300 pounds of litter in just one week. For questions or more information contact Alli Johnson at alli@bggreensource.org



FACT SHEET on IRA Home Energy Rebates

The U.S. Department of Energy has created a Fact Sheet to provide information about the upcoming Home Energy Rebate program. This program is funded through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and offers rebates to eligible homeowners. The Fact Sheet includes answers to frequently asked questions, such as what the rebate funds can be used for, when and how to apply, and links to U.S. DOE resources. Kentucky has already submitted its Home Energy Rebate application, and funds are expected to be available in early 2025. To learn about the progress of rebate launches in other states, visit the Home Energy Rebates | Department of Energy Map.

The Office of Energy Policy Impact Summary 2023 is now available on the EEC website.

Planned and Retired Power Plants Dashboard

The Office of Energy Policy has developed this dashboard as a resource for the general public to identify power plant additions, retirements, and past retirements throughout the United States. Data comes from the U. S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) form 860 Monthly and is subject to revision per the EIA. Questions may be directed to the Office of Energy Policy, Evan.Moser@ky.gov.

Bluegrasss Greensource

Bluegrass Greensource (BGGS) educates students, teachers, and communities in 20 central Kentucky counties. The Office of Energy Policy supports the initiatives of the BGGS with grant funds awarded through Kentuckky's State Energy Program. With grant fund support, BGGS provides students, teachers, and residents with resources, knowledge, and the tools to help ensure clean, healthy, and enjoyable environments for future generations. Visit the Bluegrass Greensource website for a complete schedule of events and programming.

Pictured are students from Breckinridge Elementary. Photo courtesy of Bluegrass Greensource