Four hydroelectric plants along Kentucky River receiving USDA funding

Four hydroelectric projects in rural, eastern Kentucky are being constructed after receiving financial support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

All four projects are being built on the Kentucky River, by a partnership between hydropower company Appalachian Hydro Associates and Berea College. They’re getting more than $72 million from the USDA’s Powering Affordable Clean Energy program.

Company president David Brown Kinloch helped announce the projects at a press conference in Ravenna Tuesday afternoon.

“This money from the Department of Agriculture is seed money because we’re growing and building a small hydro industry in Kentucky,” Kinloch said. “People are coming here to do small hydro.”

Gov. Andy Beshear says it’s part of an initiative to get renewable energy into rural parts of America that were previously neglected.

“Many of the jobs of new energy didn’t go into the places that produced the older energy. We’re turning that around today,” Beshear said. “We are creating energy jobs in eastern Kentucky that are going to be built by Kentuckians.”

Specifically, $19.3 million will go towards a plant on the Kentucky River’s Lock 9 in Jessamine County, $18.9 million will go towards a plant on Lock 10 in Madison County, $16.6 million will go towards a plant on Lock 11 in Estill County and $17.7 million will go towards a plant on Lock 13 in Lee County.

The USDA says the plants are expected to generate a combined 12 megawatts of energy, enough to power 6,400 homes.

A $6.6 million investment for a five megawatt solar plant in Allen County, expected to produce power for another 900 homes, was also announced.

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