New Sierra Club Report Exposes Kentucky Lawmakers Putting Utility Profits Ahead of People

FRANKFORT, KY- A new report released today by the Sierra Club, titled Profits Over People: How Kentucky's Legislature Has Undermined Energy Affordability, reveals how Kentucky lawmakers have systematically advanced the interests of utilities, fossil fuel companies, and cryptocurrency miners-while blocking efforts to make energy more affordable for Kentucky families.

The report examines nearly a decade of legislative activity and finds a consistent pattern: legislation that benefits industry moves quickly through the General Assembly, while those that would lower costs for households or expand access to clean energy rarely receive a hearing.

"For too long, Kentucky's energy policy has been written by and for the utilities," said Julia Finch, Director of the Sierra Club Kentucky Chapter. "Lawmakers talk about affordability, but the record shows they've repeatedly sided with corporate profits over the needs of working families."

Among the report's findings:

Coal and fossil fuel mandates such as 2023's SB 4 and 2024's SB 349 have imposed stricter regulatory requirements that make it harder to retire uneconomic coal plants. These bills prioritize preserving coal infrastructure over more cost-effective energy alternatives, increasing costs that ultimately fall on consumers.

Crypto and data center incentives, including 2021's HB 230 and HB 775, have created tax exemptions and regulatory protections that encourage energy-intensive industries. These operations strain the grid, drive up electricity costs, and shift financial and environmental burdens onto residents and communities.

From 2019 to 2025, at least 25 bills were introduced to advance energy affordability, transparency, and access to clean energy in Kentucky. Most were never heard in committee, and not a single one passed.

The report also identifies a core group of legislators who have repeatedly sponsored or championed bills that raise costs for Kentuckians while protecting utility interests.

Sierra Club Kentucky's report urges lawmakers to reverse course by reinstating fair net metering, requiring utilities to disclose disconnection data, and holding energy-intensive industries accountable for their impact on rates and reliability.

"This is about more than politics," said Sarah Reeves, Grassroots Coordinator of the Sierra Club Kentucky Chapter. "Kentucky's energy future should serve the people who keep the lights on-not the corporations profiting from outdated policies."

The full report, Profits Over People: How Kentucky's Legislature Has Undermined Energy Affordability, is available at https://http://sierraclub.org/kentucky/profits-over-people-report.

###

About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit https://www.sierraclub.org.