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Resident asks Ashland to oppose Kentucky Power rate increases, urges city to submit comments to PSC
Summary
A local resident urged the Board of City Commissioners to submit public comments to the Kentucky Public Service Commission opposing Kentucky Power's proposed residential, commercial and industrial rate increases and to describe the city's redevelopment work around the former coke plant to the PSC.
Suzanne Barker Griffith of Houston Avenue told the Ashland Board of City Commissioners on Oct. 9 that Kentucky Power's proposed rate increases—14.9% residential, 13% commercial and 15% industrial—would harm families and businesses in the region and that the Public Service Commission should hear from the City of Ashland about local economic-development efforts.
"Adding another 15% to the industrial rate is not helpful in attracting new industries that are so desperately needed to our area," Griffith said, urging the city to submit public comments to the Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC) describing Ashland's actions related to the former coke-plant cleanup and redevelopment. She asked the commission's leaders to attend in-person hearings and encouraged elected officials to speak on behalf of families, small businesses and future industry.
Griffith, a retired teacher, said the Kentucky Power service area pays among the highest average bills in the state and that energy burden in the region (share of income spent on energy) ranges from 6% to 16%, compared with a state average of 3%.
She also noted that Boyd County industries, including Marathon and Steel Dynamics (referred to in the meeting as interveners), were participating in the rate case and said the PSC should be shown Ashland's proactive steps to attract new industry, including cleanup of the former coke plant.
The request recorded in public comment was for the city to submit written comments and to have community leaders attend upcoming in-person PSC meetings; the transcript does not record a subsequent motion by the commission to file comments or to take further action.
Ending: The commission received the public comment; no recorded board motion or vote regarding filing comments with the PSC appears in the meeting transcript.
