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Electric Co-ops dedicate 60-acre solar farm

St. Lucia Times

Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives has dedicated Cooperative Solar Farm One, a 60-acre solar energy facility located in Clark County, Ky.

“Co-op members have asked our electric cooperatives to provide options for clean, renewable energy. Today, this solar farm officially begins producing energy fueled by the sun,” said Joe Spalding, board chairman of East Kentucky Power Cooperative (EKPC), which will operate the solar farm. He is a member of Inter-County Energy Cooperative.

Members of the 16 electric cooperatives that make up Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives can participate by licensing solar panels. For a one-time payment of $460 per panel, participating members will receive a 25-year license and they will get credit on their monthly power bills for the value of the energy generated by their share of the solar farm.

Cooperative Solar Farm One features 32,300 solar panels capable of producing up to 8.5 megawatts of electricity, enough to provide all the power needs for approximately 1,000 typical homes.

“This is truly a milestone for our electric cooperatives,” said Anthony “Tony” Campbell, President & CEO of EKPC. “This is the beginning of a new era. We are making and delivering energy from the sun. “

Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives comprise 16 not-for-profit, member-owned cooperatives serving more than 1 million Kentucky residents across 87 counties. They include:

•             Big Sandy RECC, Paintsville, Ky.

•             Blue Grass Energy, Nicholasville, Ky.

•             Clark Energy Cooperative, Winchester, Ky.

•             Cumberland Valley Electric, Gray, Ky.

•             Farmers RECC, Glasgow, Ky.

•             Fleming-Mason Energy, Flemingsburg, Ky.

•             Grayson RECC, Grayson, Ky.

•             Inter-County Energy Cooperative, Danville, Ky.

•             Jackson Energy Cooperative, McKee, Ky.

•             Licking Valley RECC, West Liberty, Ky.

•             Nolin RECC, Elizabethtown, Ky.

•             Owen Electric Cooperative, Owenton, Ky.

•             Salt River Electric, Bardstown, Ky.

•             Shelby Energy Cooperative, Shelbyville, Ky.

•             South Kentucky RECC, Somerset Ky.

•             Taylor County RECC, Campbellsville, Ky.

(provided by Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives)

Paul Hitchcock earned his Masters in Communications from Morehead State University and Bachelors in Radio-TV/Psychology from Georgetown College. A veteran broadcaster for more than 40 years and an avid fan of blues, jazz and American roots music. Hitchcock has been with WMKY since 1986 and was named General Manager in 2003. He currently hosts "Muddy Bottom Blues" (Fri., 8pm-9pm), "Nothin' But The Blues" (Sat., 8pm-12am), "Sunday Night Jazz Showcase" and "Live From The Jazz Lounge" (Sun., 8pm-9pm) and "The Golden Age of Radio" (Sun., 2pm-3pm). He also serves as producer for "A Time For Tales" and "The Reader's Notebook."
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