SOMERSET, Ky. (Feb. 28, 2025) — Officials from state coalition Dependable Power First Kentucky and national trade organization America’s Power joined local community leaders Thursday afternoon at the Somerset Energy Center’s City Council Chambers for a special roundtable event with local media.
The panel — which included Somerset-Pulaski Economic Development Authority (SPEDA) president/CEO Chris Girdler, Dependable Power First Kentucky acting director Corey Elder, America’s Power president/CEO Michelle Bloodworth and America’s Power chief policy officer Paul Bailey — discussed the importance of maintaining a reliable and affordable electricity supply for Kentucky families, business owners and overall economic development.
“Kentucky’s power grid is at a critical inflection point, with growing demand and increasing grid strain,” said Elder. “The Dependable Power First coalition is leading the charge to ensure that Kentucky remains a top destination for residents, businesses and manufacturers by securing a strong, reliable and resilient energy future.”
“SPEDA is appreciative to be a part of the Dependable Power First coalition because reliable, affordable energy is one of the most — if not the most — important issues for quality of life and quality of place,” said Girdler. “We could recruit a tremendous amount of industry, manufacturing, commercial and retail opportunity, but if we don’t have dependable power for them, then it is all for naught.”
At the event, representatives from America’s Power also unveiled a recent report from Energy Ventures Analysis on electric grid performance during the January 2025 polar vortex.
The study found that last month’s record-breaking low temperatures and extreme weather “pushed the U.S. power grid to unprecedented limits.” In response, grid operators “relied heavily on dispatchable generation (primarily coal and natural gas) to ensure system reliability and stabilize supply.”
Moving forward, America’s Power officials emphasized the importance of a gradual grid transition that balances those traditional energy sources with emerging, less predictable renewable sources.
“The nationwide five-year forecast for electricity demand growth has almost doubled,” said Bloodworth. “Our nation’s grid is not prepared for the huge increases in electricity demand that we are seeing with advanced manufacturing, data center expansion and artificial intelligence (AI) technology.”
“Dependence on a limited number of energy sources can make us vulnerable to price fluctuations, disruptions in supply and geopolitical tensions,” added Bailey. “By utilizing a balanced mix of energy sources, we can preserve our energy independence and security.”
Dependable Power First Kentucky is a statewide coalition working to promote a reliable, resilient, and affordable electricity supply for all Kentuckians by bringing together diverse stakeholders from across the state to shift the conversation around reliability and support policies that achieve this goal.
To learn more about Dependable Power First Kentucky, please visit DependablePowerKY.com.
Photos, audio and video from Thursday’s event in Somerset are available here.
