Op-Ed: Planning Kentucky’s Energy Future Together

The following is an op-ed authored by Energy Planning and Inventory Commission Executive Director Eric King

Kentucky has always understood energy. Our coal industry built — and continues to provide — a foundation of affordable, reliable electricity. Today, coal generates approximately 70% of Kentucky’s electricity, powering the state’s economy and supporting communities from Pikeville to Paducah. As the energy landscape evolves faster than at any point in decades, that foundation is part of a broader picture Kentucky must understand.

Electricity demand, which stayed flat for years, is now climbing. U.S. data centers alone consumed about 183 terawatt-hours of power in 2024 — roughly 4 percent of the nation’s total electricity use — and that figure is expected to more than double by 2030, according to a recent Pew Research Center analysis. That’s massive growth in just six years.

This growth creates real opportunity for Kentucky. We have the resources and expertise to attract new investment and support jobs, but meeting future demand will require planning and coordination across the entire energy system.

That’s why the General Assembly created the Energy Planning and Inventory Commission, or EPIC. EPIC’s purpose isn’t to direct or second guess anyone’s work. It’s to bring the full picture into focus — to connect data, analysis, and perspectives so Kentucky can make informed, coordinated decisions about its energy future.

EPIC was built to get everyone working together. Its commission includes representatives from utilities, cooperatives, energy producers, consumers, and state leaders — all focused on ensuring Kentucky plans its energy future as one team. More information about EPIC’s membership and structure is available at caer.uky.edu/epic.

EPIC is connected to the University of Kentucky’s Center for Applied Energy Research for technical expertise, but it operates independently and transparently. Our role is straightforward: to help Kentucky understand whether its current and future energy supply can support long-term growth — and to share that understanding openly with policymakers, communities, and businesses.

A key part of that work is projecting demand realistically. Energy planning isn’t about predicting a single outcome — it’s about testing multiple ones. EPIC is developing scenarios that examine what happens if Kentucky faces a rapid surge in demand, and equally, what it means if that surge never arrives as expected. Preparing for both possibilities ensures the Commonwealth doesn’t overbuild or get caught unprepared.

This work complements the planning already done by utilities and overseen by the Public Service Commission — it doesn’t replace it. Those responsibilities remain essential. EPIC’s contribution is a broader view — looking across service territories, economic sectors, and federal policy changes to understand what they mean for Kentucky as a whole.

Our approach relies on collaboration. We work with utilities, manufacturers, local governments, and energy producers to help shape our analysis. By pulling together their expertise and Kentucky’s data, we can identify where new demand may strain capacity, where plant retirements could affect communities, and where infrastructure or policy gaps may slow growth.

When a company looks to invest in Kentucky, its first question is simple: Can we count on affordable, reliable power for the next 20 years? EPIC’s goal is to help every partner in our energy system answer “yes” — confidently, with data to back it up.

The legislature’s creation of EPIC was about reducing uncertainty to give Kentucky the tools to prepare for the next generation of energy demand with clarity and confidence.

Our job is to convene the right people, ask the right questions, provide informed guidance on energy decisions, and help Kentucky move forward together.

Eric King is Executive Director of the Kentucky Energy Planning and Inventory Commission. He served as an energy adviser to then U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell before joining the Kentucky Electric Cooperatives. He later served as Assistant Vice President for Research and Executive Director for Federal Relations at the University of Kentucky, where he helped secure millions in federal funding to support the university’s energy research and advanced manufacturing initiatives.