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Donate now to support housing affordability policy
A fairer, healthier, more-just Louisville housing market is possible, but taking action on affordable, sustainable policies starts with us.
DonateThe Public Service Commission (PSC) is a three-member administrative body that governs the public utility companies in Kentucky. The PSC reviews different types of cases, such as rate increase or reduction, consumer complaints, compliance, demand side management, integrated resource plans, and much more. The Metropolitan Housing Coalition and Everyhome are joint intervenors on important rate cases, demand side management cases, and integrated resource plans that affect Louisville energy costs.
Every three years, utility companies are required to submit a plan for the next 15 years to the Public Service Commission for review. The purpose of a utility companies’ IRP is to create a roadmap of how the utility will meet future energy and demand requirements in a cost-effective way. This could mean changes in rates, additional power plants, demand side management strategies, additional renewable energy sources, and so on. AKA – this affects you, the customer!
LG&E and KU filed their IRP with the Public Service Commission on October 18th, 2024 (Case No. 2024-00326). To summarize the IRP, LG&E and KU expect economic development to increase system load (usage) by 30 percent to 45 percent by 2032 compared to 2024. This forecasted large load growth would require additional generation units. Additional generation units proposed by LG&E/KU could lead to an eventual rate increase for ratepayers. With already high rates, additional rate increases could lead to unaffordability of housing and other essentials.
The Metropolitan Housing Coalition has jointly intervened with Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, Kentucky Solar Energy Society, and Mountain Association on the 2024 LG&E/KU IRP on behalf of low and fixed income households. At MHC, we believe that energy efficiency and affordability are crucial, and that the needs of our low- and fixed-income neighbors must be prioritized during the IRP planning process. Affordable energy bills are essential for achieving affordable housing, as one cannot be realized without the other. For updates on the 2024 LG&E/KU IRP case, please join our newsletter.
We want our community’s voices to be heard. Unfortunately, if the public doesn’t speak up, the PSC only hears the utility and business perspectives. We urge you to submit a public comment demanding for more renewable energy sources, affordable utility rates, and a more robust demand side management program. It’s as simple as sending an email – you can submit a public comment by clicking the link to the left or sending an email to psc.comment@ky.gov. Be sure to include the case number (Case No. 2024-00326) in your subject line.
Together, we can advocate for clean, efficient energy and make EveryHome safe, healthy, and affordable.
Bills from the 2024 Legislative Session
House Bill 180
What was is in the bill?
This would create standards prohibiting the disconnection of service by retail electric and gas utilities at certain times, for example, during extreme-weather like heat and cold. The bill was not passed in the 2024 legislative session, however, we hope to see it return in 2025. In the meantime, we ask everyone to push this bill to their councilmembers!
How does this work?
This bill is fundamental in preventing Kentuckians, especially Kentucky’s most vulnerable communities, from experiencing energy disconnection when they need energy most. Not only will this bill protect the health, safety, and stability of affected families, it will also protect properties from damage.
House Bill 388
What was in the bill?
Includes a provision in Section 13 for a one-year moratorium on land development code (LDC) changes through April 2025 and requires further study and recommendations from the mayor. This would effectively pause at the very least and effectively kill LDC Reform efforts in Louisville. The bill was passed in the 2024 legislative session.
How does this work?
Louisville Metro Council passed a resolution to conduct a equitable review in 2020, the Office of Planning and Design (now the Office of Planning) studied and produced recommendations, and we have worked for four years to get where we are through a broad coalition of folks to educate and engage with the public on the LDC Reform process (two years of public engagement). MHC and our partners have done the studies, identified the need, produced recommendations, engaged the public, and the coalition is creating positive changes to the LDC that will create roofs over people’s heads in the Louisville community–throughout the entire community
Senate Bill 349
What was in the bill?
This would prohibit the Public Service Commission from approving the retirement of a fossil fuel-fired electric generating unit unless the commission finds that the utility has no undepreciated investment in the unit and that the costs to operate the unit are greater than the revenue that it generates. The bill was passed in the 2024 legislative session.
How does this work?
It would require ratepayers to pay significant money through higher electricity rates in order to pay for operation and maintenance of regulated electric generating units beyond their useful life
TAKE ACTION WITH US
Generous supporters like you are making this work possible. Here are some important ways you can get involved today.
FOLLOW THE JOURNEY TOWARD AFFORDABLE ENERGY AND HOUSING
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