| |

Encore Energy Provides Update for Shale Oil Drilling in Kentucky

Lawrence County, KY

Kentucky is not known as a hotbed of shale drilling activity. The Marcellus/Utica does not extend under the Bluegrass State. However, as we wrote about back in 2017, Kentucky does have the Berea Sandstone which contains oil deposits (see Fracking Comes to Kentucky – Encore Drills First Horizontal Oil Wells). In 2017 we brought you the news that Encore Energy was just beginning to drill shale wells looking to extract oil from the Berea. Fast forward to today, and there are over 100 horizontal wells permitted, drilled and/or producing in the Berea in Lawrence County. The horizontal Berea play is the most active and prolific oil and gas field operation in Kentucky.
Continue reading

| |

About 20 Property Owners Left to Sign for W. Ky. NatGas Pipe

In September 2022, MDN told you about a new 53-mile pipeline project in Western Kentucky — a 16-inch natural gas pipeline to feed natgas to the southern Pennyrile Region (see Kentucky Spending $30M on New NatGas Pipe to Expand Biz Growth). The $115 million project is partly being underwritten by a $30 million grant from the State of Kentucky. Half of the state money ($15 million) was distributed in 2022, and the other half was distributed in 2023 (see W. Kentucky 53-Mile NatGas Pipe Moving Forward with State Funding). However, no construction has begun yet. There are still around 20 landowners who haven’t signed a lease to allow the pipeline across their property.
Continue reading

| |

TVA Brings 3 New Gas-Fired Power Generators Online in Paradise

Welcome to Paradise, where natural gas is the fuel of choice to generate electricity! In 2017, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) held a dedication ceremony for the Paradise Combined Cycle Gas Plant in Drakesboro, Kentucky (see Paradise Comes to Kentucky: TVA NatGas Elec Plant Fires Up). The Paradise plant is a natural gas-fired plant that replaces two now-closed coal plants at the site. The Paradise plant can produce 1,100 megawatts (MW) of electricity (a really big plant). Great news! Three “peaker” (on demand) natgas power units are now online at the Paradise location, adding an additional 750 MW.
Continue reading

| |

Ground Broken for 22-Mile Gas Pipeline in Central Kentucky

Natural gas is coming to Lincoln and Rockcastle counties in central Kentucky. Delta Natural Gas, a local gas utility and subsidiary of PNG Companies (People’s Natural Gas), which in turn is a subsidiary of Essential Utilities, broke ground on a 22-mile pipeline to provide natgas to Lincoln and Rockcastle for both residential customers and industrial customers located in corporate parks. According to Delta, these two counties have been lobbying for natgas service for 30 years.
Continue reading

| | |

Kentucky PSC Votes to Retire 2 Coal Plants, Replace w/Gas-Fired

Last December, PPL Corporation subsidiaries Louisville Gas and Electric Company (LG&E) and Kentucky Utilities Company (KU) announced a plan to replace 1,500 megawatts of aging coal-fired generation (nearly one-third of Kentucky’s coal fleet!) with two 621-megawatt (MW) natural gas combined-cycle units along with several unreliable, intermittent solar projects (see PPL Replacing Coal-Fired Power Plants with NatGas in Louisville, KY). The state Public Service Commission (PSC) issued its decision on the request Monday. LG&E/KU got some, but nowhere near all of what they requested.
Continue reading

| | | | | |

Reuters Reporting ARCH2 Hydrogen Hub Wins Funding in M-U Region

We have some exciting news to share! Yesterday, we told you that super secret sources whispering to Reuters say the Bidenistas will announce, on Friday, the winners of $7 billion in grant money to construct hydrogen hubs around the country (see Bidenistas to Announce Hydrogen Hub Hunger Games Winners on Friday). The same super secret sources couldn’t help themselves. They further blabbed to Reuters the identities of two of the winners, one of which is the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2), backed by West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky.
Continue reading

| |

Land Purchases Wrapping Up for W. Kentucky 53-Mile NatGas Pipe

Western Kentucky counties

Last September, MDN told you about a new 53-mile pipeline project in Western Kentucky — a 16-inch natural gas pipeline to feed natgas to the southern Pennyrile Region (see Kentucky Spending $30M on New NatGas Pipe to Expand Biz Growth). The $115 million project is partly being underwritten by a $30 million grant from the State of Kentucky. Half of the state money ($15 million) was distributed last year, and the other half was distributed this year (see W. Kentucky 53-Mile NatGas Pipe Moving Forward with State Funding). Officials report that more than 80% of the land needed for the project is now leased and ready to go.
Continue reading

| | |

Louisville Gas & Elec & KY Utilities Propose 2 New Gas-Fired Plants

Last December, PPL Corporation subsidiaries Louisville Gas and Electric Company (LG&E) and Kentucky Utilities Company (KU) announced a plan to replace 1,500 megawatts of aging coal-fired generation (nearly one-third of Kentucky’s coal fleet!) with two 621-megawatt natural gas combined-cycle units along with several unreliable, intermittent solar projects (see PPL Replacing Coal-Fired Power Plants with NatGas in Louisville, KY). The state Public Service Commission will hold a virtual public hearing tomorrow to consider comments about the two proposed gas-fired power plants.
Continue reading

| | |

W. Kentucky 53-Mile NatGas Pipe Moving Forward with State Funding

Western Kentucky counties

Last September, MDN told you about a new 53-mile pipeline project in Western Kentucky–a 16-inch natural gas pipeline to feed natgas to the southern Pennyrile Region (see Kentucky Spending $30M on New NatGas Pipe to Expand Biz Growth). The $115 million project is partly being underwritten by a $30 million grant from the State of Kentucky. Half of the state money ($15 million) was distributed last year, and the other half is coming this year.
Continue reading

| | |

Court Allows LG&E to Build Tiny Pipe Thru Kentucky Arboretum Land

click for larger version

In May 2021, MDN told you that Louisville Gas and Electric Company (LG&E) had won Kentucky state approval to build a new 12-inch, 12-mile pipeline near Louisville to supply gas to homes and businesses that can’t connect to LG&E’s local natgas utility system because it is currently maxed out (see Pass the Jim Beam! Judge Clears Way for Gas Pipe Near Louisville, KY). The local Bernheim Arboretum has resisted attempts to build across three-tenths of one percent (0.028%) of Arboretum land–along an existing cleared path where electric lines already go. LG&E took the Arboretum to court, and last week the court ruled in favor of LG&E and its right to build the pipe through a small section of Arboretum land.
Continue reading

| | |

LG&E Takes Kentucky Arboretum to Court to Build Tiny Pipe

In May 2021, MDN told you that Louisville Gas and Electric Company (LG&E) had won Kentucky state approval to build a new 12-inch, 12-mile pipeline near Louisville to supply gas to homes and businesses that can’t connect to LG&E’s local natgas utility system because it is currently maxed out (see Pass the Jim Beam! Judge Clears Way for Gas Pipe Near Louisville, KY). The local Bernheim Arboretum has resisted attempts to build across three-tenths of one percent (0.028%) of Arboretum land–along an existing cleared path where electric lines already go (see KY Utility Hints at Defunding Local Arboretum Blocking New Pipe). The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers granted a permit for the full 12-mile pipeline, including across Arboretum land, in September of 2021 (see Pass the Jim Beam! Army Corps Issues Pipeline Permit for KY Forest). Yet the fossil fuel haters running the Arboretum refuse to allow construction. So it’s off to court…
Continue reading

| | | | | |

WV-Led Hydrogen Hub Proposal Green-Lighted for Next Round

Yesterday we told you that the Pennsylvania-blessed effort by Shell and Equinor to build (at taxpayers’ expense) a so-called hydrogen hub in PA has received the Dept. of Energy’s blessing (“encouragement”) to submit a full application (see PA-Backed Blue Hydrogen Hub Effort Passes First Hurdle with DOE). We were kind of nervous that we had not heard whether or not another project, led by West Virginia but endorsed by Ohio, Kentucky, and over 200 organizations, had also received DOE’s blessing to submit a full application. Whew. They did.
Continue reading

| | | |

Kentucky Joins Multi-State, West Virginia-Led Hydrogen Hub Coalition

West Virginia is taking the lead in a coalition to apply for (and build) a regional hydrogen hub, funded by taxpayers as provided for in the so-called Biden infrastructure bill. Some 200 organizations (universities, businesses, trade associations, etc.) have joined the WV effort, called Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2), including the State of Ohio (see Finally! Ohio Joins Effort to Locate Hydrogen Hub in West Virginia). Pennyslvania has stubbornly gone its own way (see PA Decides to Back Shell/Equinor Application for $1B Hydrogen Hub). Good news! Another Appalachian state, Kentucky, is now supporting the WV ARCH2 effort to attract the hydrogen hub.
Continue reading

| |

BlackRock, JPMorgan, Citi About to Lose Kentucky as a Customer

Kentucky is joining a number of other states, including Texas, West Virginia, and Florida, in putting Big Banks (and Big Investment Firms) on notice that those companies are about to lose the business of the State of Kentucky. On Tuesday, State Treasurer Allison Ball released a list of 11 financial companies that are engaged in energy company boycotts–refusing to invest in, or loan money to, fossil energy companies. The list includes BlackRock, Citigroup, and JPMorgan Chase, among others.
Continue reading

| |

PPL Replacing Coal-Fired Power Plants with NatGas in Louisville, KY

Last week PPL Corporation subsidiaries Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company announced a plan to replace 1,500 megawatts of aging coal-fired generation (nearly one-third of Kentucky’s coal fleet!) with two 621-megawatt natural gas combined-cycle units along with several unreliable, intermittent solar projects. The coal-fired plants are due to be retired by 2028.
Continue reading

| |

Kentucky Spending $30M on New NatGas Pipe to Expand Biz Growth

Gov. Andy Beshear/Twitter

There’s no wishy-washiness or shilly-shallying in Kentucky when it comes to building new natural gas pipelines. At least, there isn’t any prevarication under the current administration of Gov. Andy Beshear. Earlier this week, Beshear presented a ceremonial check for $30 million to fund the construction of a 53-mile, 16-inch natural gas pipeline to feed natgas to the southern Pennyrile Region in the western part of the state. The aim is to “support rapid business growth” in that area of the state. Business growth and jobs coming to Kentucky–thanks to Marcellus/Utica shale gas.
Continue reading