Another hydroelectric dam is being built on the Kentucky River. The president of Berea College says there are environmental, educational, and financial benefits to establishing a second hydroelectric generating plant. This week, the southern Madison County private school announced plans to build a facility at Lock and Dam 14 in Lee County.
College President Lyle Roelofs said the more than a century-old lock and dam system creates an opportunity for expansion.
“The partners that we work with, Appalachian Hydro Associates, I think they want to build a generating station in every abandoned lock on the river. We do it one at a time at the college, making sure that we don’t get too far out over our skis,” said Roelofs
While the river has a history of flooding episodes, Roelofs said a hydro plant doesn’t increase the likelihood of flooding.
“The turbines and the generators are completely submerged all the time anyway, so they don’t care about a flood, you just simply have to build the control building above the highest flood you can expect,” said Roelofs
Roelofs added the power generated at the hydroelectric projects on the river allows for replacing that much coal burning to produce electricity.
Roelofs said the college is making about a 9% return on its investment in the first hydropower project near Ravenna and it could be a bit better with the second project. He noted the existing facility at Lock 12 is an attractive school field trip site, which ties into environmental education.
