Kentucky Power seeks 20 additional megawatts of solar power in eastern Kentucky

Kentucky Power hopes to expand solar energy options in their state, owing to customer interest, and to that end has released a Request for Proposals to gather bids on solar resources for purchase.

Focusing on eastern Kentucky, the utility could end up buying solar facilities from winning bidders, making them the first solar projects in Kentucky Power’s portfolio, which traditionally relies on coal and a bit of natural gas. There is a minimum project size of 5 megawatts, however, and the projects must be operational by Dec. 31, 2021. Proposals will be accepted until Feb. 1, 2019.

“We have had requests from business customers in our region to explore solar energy options that could help them meet their own green energy goals,” Matt Satterwhite, Kentucky Power’s president and COO, said. “We are evaluating our future energy needs to meet customer demand and exploring how solar can fit into that mix. Adding solar could help our communities diversify their economies and boost development in eastern Kentucky as more and more businesses seek renewable energy to power their operations.”

While Kentucky Power is sorting out which way it wants to go, however, any projects they select would still require approval by state regulatory authorities.