Curtis Tate

A Coal miner was killed at a West Virginia mine owned by Joe and Kelly Craft

A coal miner was killed at a West Virginia mine earlier this month. The mine is owned by Alliance Resource Partners, which is led and owned by Joe and Kelly Craft of Kentucky. From @tatecurtis.bsky.social at @weku.bsky.social

Kentucky Power, Industrial Customers Reach Agreement On Mitchell Plant

Corrected link: www.weku.org/the-commonwe...

Kentucky Power, Industrial Customers Reach Agreement On Mitchell Plant

A better link: www.weku.org/the-commonwe...

Curtis L. Tate 🤷‍♂️ on X: "https://t.co/Kz3bAJ7lFv" / X https://t.co/Kz3bAJ7lFv

A split over the Mitchell plant: Kentucky’s industrial customers signed on to a settlement agreement with Kentucky Power. The AG’s office, though it supports investment in the plant past 2028, only won’t oppose the settlement. And the Sierra Club doesn’t agree to the settlement x.com/tatecurtis/s...

Once Rivals, Former Kentucky Governors Beshear And Fletcher Exchange Praises

Once rivals in their 2007 contest for the state's top office, former Kentucky Governors Steve Beshear and Ernie Fletcher exchange praises at a chamber conference event. From @tatecurtis.bsky.social at @weku.bsky.social

Other folks have said it, but let me just note that:

(1) lots of talented, must-read journalists have been let go from their jobs over the last year

(2) millions of Americans are abandoning current media outlets and looking for new alternatives

Seems like a sure-fire business opportunity here?

How many of your posts start with ‘I’m too old for’?

Unprofitable out-of-state coal plants costing Kentucky electricity customers Kentucky utility regulators could approve a rate increase for Louisville Gas & Electric and Kentucky Utilities customers. They’ve approved new power plants to meet the electricity demands of data cent...

Good to see that LPM published my most recent OVEC story, finished before I left West Virginia. If you’re a customer of LG&E or Kentucky Utilities, you’ve been on the hook for the losses at these two 70-year-old coal plants in Ohio and Indiana. www.lpm.org/news/2025-11...

Unprofitable out-of-state coal plants costing Kentucky electricity customers Kentucky utility regulators could approve a rate increase for Louisville Gas & Electric and Kentucky Utilities customers. They’ve approved new power plants to meet the electricity demands of data centers. Customers may not have known about the hidden cost they’re paying for two coal plants.

Kentucky utility regulators could approve a rate increase for LG&E/KU customers. They’ve approved new power plants to meet the electricity demands of data centers. Customers may not have known about the hidden cost they’re paying for two coal plants. www.lpm.org/news/2025-11...

Repairing Mitchell Plant Is Too Costly For Kentucky Power Customers, Expert Says

An energy analyst told the Kentucky Public Service Commission in a filing last week that it should reject Kentucky Power’s plan to keep its half of a West Virginia coal plant past 2028, saying it's too costly for customers. From @tatecurtis.bsky.social of @weku.bsky.social

Repairing Mitchell Plant Is Too Costly For Kentucky Power Customers, Expert Says - West Virginia Public Broadcasting The Kentucky Public Service Commission should reject Kentucky Power’s plan to keep its half of the Mitchell plant past 2028 according to Devi Glick, an energy analyst with Synapse Energy Economics sai...

This story follows me wherever I go. This time, with expert testimony that repairing or replacing Mitchell’s structurally compromised cooling tower would cost more than refueling the existing plant with natural gas.
wvpublic.org/story/energy...

Two former Kentucky governors and political rivals, Steve Beshear and Ernie Fletcher, shared the stage at the Kentucky Chamber’s luncheon in Lexington today.

Kentucky adds clean energy jobs but Trump policies threaten continued growth, says report • Kentucky Lantern Clean energy jobs continued to grow in Kentucky last year, according to an annual report focusing on the economic impact of such jobs.

Reminder that 10x (and growing) as many people in Kentucky work in the renewable energy space kentuckylantern.com/2025/10/01/k...

Kentucky Coal Employment Slumps to Record Low In 2nd Quarter Employment in the Kentucky coal industry drops to record lows

The number of workers employed in Kentucky coal mines fell below 3,800 in the second quarter, the lowest total on record. From @tatecurtis.bsky.social at @weku.bsky.social

Kentucky Coal Employment Slumps to Record Low In 2nd Quarter Employment in the Kentucky coal industry drops to record lows

Kentucky's Energy and Environment Cabinet data shows statewide coal employment fell below 3,800 in the second quarter, the lowest level on record. The slump is most pronounced in eastern Kentucky.

www.weku.org/the-commonwe...

Another host, Eugene Daniels, asked Mr. Cuomo what he meant by diversity being a “weakness.” “Diversity can be a weakness if you have antipathy among groups, Jonathan,” Mr. Cuomo said, mistaking Mr. Daniels for his co-host Jonathan Capehart, both of whom are Black.

You can't make this up.

Martha Layne Collins, KY’s first woman governor & Toyota dealmaker, dies at 88 One of Collins’ biggest achievements in office was luring a Toyota plant to Georgetown, a move that created thousands of jobs in the region.

Kentucky's first — and, thus far, only — woman governor has died.

Martha Layne Collins was 88.

One of Collins’ most enduring achievements was luring Toyota to Georgetown, a move that created thousands of jobs and has had a lasting economic impact on the region.

My latest story... yet another one on data centers in Kentucky. #kyga26

👇👇👇👇

Unprofitable Out-Of-State Coal Plants Costing Kentucky Electricity Customers - West Virginia Public Broadcasting Behind the rates paid by the companies’ customers is a hidden cost that doesn’t show up on their bills. Customers receive electricity from two aging, out-of-state coal plants that lose a lot of money.

Two aging, unprofitable out-of-state coal plants are costing Kentucky electricity customers with higher bills. From @tatecurtis.bsky.social

By the way, the Kentucky Public Service Commission will hold a hearing on LG&E and KU’s rate increase proposal on Monday. Wouldn’t it be a shame if this came up?

Unprofitable Out-Of-State Coal Plants Costing Kentucky Electricity Customers - West Virginia Public Broadcasting Behind the rates paid by the companies’ customers is a hidden cost that doesn’t show up on their bills. Customers receive electricity from two aging, out-of-state coal plants that lose a lot of money.

Not sure whether to call this my last story for West Virginia or my first story for Kentucky. Let’s say it’s both. I extended my previous scrutiny of what two aging, unprofitable coal plants in Indiana and Ohio was costing Appalachian Power customers to LG&E and KU. wvpublic.org/story/energy...

Kentucky food pantries call for community support ahead of SNAP cliff Kentucky Public Radio spoke with food banks across the state bracing for a surge in clients ahead of the Nov. 1 suspension of federal food assistance.

Kentucky Public Radio spoke with food banks across the state bracing for a surge in clients ahead of the Nov. 1 suspension of federal food assistance www.lpm.org/news/2025-10...

Western Kentucky writer Bobbie Ann Mason looks back at “In Country” forty years later Celebrated author and Mayfield native Bobbie Ann Mason reflects on the Vietnam War, history and how people learn from it as she reflects on the publishing of her first novel.

“In Country,” the first novel from renowned western Kentucky novelist Bobbie Ann Mason, turned 40 this fall. The writer looked back on the occasion in an interview with WKMS.
www.wkms.org/arts-culture...

Kentucky regulators grant LG&E/KU permission to build power plants for future data centers State regulators are allowing Kentucky’s largest power companies to spend $3 billion on two new gas power plants, which LG&E/KU say are needed for future data centers.

"The PSC has rubber-stamped LG&E/KU’s expensive & unnecessary plan to funnel Kentuckians’ hard-earned money into coal & gas facilities that rake up our electricity bills & poison our air... LG&E/KU prioritizes the needs of speculative data centers & their secretive Big Tech owners over those of KY"

I’m sorry, if someone has a birth certificate that proves they were born here but a mobile app with face recognition software disagrees, they will side with the app?

What?

i cannot believe that “mamdani calls a close adult relative an ‘aunt’ even if they are not literally their parent’s sister” is what counts as a “scandal” these days

The East Wing gave women a space to thrive in the White House…here's why First intended as an entrance for social events, the East Wing became the first lady's office space. Historians say the shift was a key part of professionalizing staff for the president's wife.

First intended as an entrance for social events, the East Wing became the first lady's office space. Historians say the shift was a key part of professionalizing staff for the president's wife. n.pr/4qA1nG0

AEP Reports Nearly $1 Billion Profit In Third Quarter - West Virginia Public Broadcasting American Electric Power recorded $972 million in profits in the three months ending Sept. 30, up from $960 million a year ago.

Appalachian Power and Kentucky Power parent AEP recorded nearly $1 billion in profits in just one quarter. While also seeking double-digit rate increases in Kentucky and West Virginia. wvpublic.org/story/energy...

Appalachian Power Coal Plant's Winter Failures Raise Reliability Questions - West Virginia Public Broadcasting Data the company provided to utility regulators in Virginia show one of the plant’s three units failed on Jan. 21 and 22. This was during one of the coldest periods of the year, with record demand for...

I’ll say this again: Aging coal plants prove they’re not as reliable as advertised, especially during extreme weather events. Had other generation not stepped up, we would have had trouble in the grid like in December 2022. wvpublic.org/story/energy...

Related story coming!