LG&E/Kentucky Utilities Seeking State Approval for 1GW+ New Gas-fired, Battery Storage Capacity

Louisville Gas and Electric Company (LG&E) and Kentucky Utilities Company (KU), sister subsidiaries of PPL Corp., have requested approval for a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity from the Kentucky Public Service Commission (KPSC) for additional generation capacity and battery storage.

LG&E and KU are proposing an investment in building two new 645-MW natural gas combined-cycle units and upgrading environmental controls on Ghent Generating Station Unit 2. They also want to install an additional 400 MW of battery storage to the power grid.

"These investments in our system will allow us to continue serving our customers safely and reliably while meeting our regulatory obligation and the growing economic interest in the commonwealth – all while maintaining affordability,” said John R. Crockett III, LG&E and KU President and PPL Chief Development Officer, in a statement.

Currently, LG&E and KU are in discussions with many businesses that, all total, in the coming years have the potential generation need of up to 8,000 MW, more than double the utilities' current energy demand.

A big part of this potential future demand would come from data centers, which could increase the LG&E’s load by 1 GW to 1.75 GW alone. Burning coal still generates more than 60% of the utility’s power, but the forecasts call for no new coal-fired plants in the near future.

As outlined in the filing and pending approval, LG&E and KU expect to have the first unit, Brown 12, available in 2030 and the second unit, Mill Creek 6, available in 2031.

The companies plan to install 400 MW of battery energy storage at the Cane Run Generating Station and a selective catalytic reduction facility to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions for Ghent Unit 2 looking at the anticipated economic load growth increases by 2,000 MW between 2025 and 2032.

The KPSC is expected to rule on the CPCN request by November.