FORward Radio program archives

On this week's show, we wrap up our highlights from the 2026 Kentucky Conservation Committee's Legislative Summit held on January 25th. Learn more about it and find links to all the great materials referenced at https://kyconservation.org/legislative-summit-2026 On today's show, we take a deep dive into Kentucky's energy past and potential energy future. Specifically, we respond to all the hype around nuclear as a supposedly rational response to the climate crisis and the exploding demand for electricity coming from data center development. Tune in to hear from Lane Boldman, Executive Director of the Kentucky Conservation Committee on Kentucky's troubling nuclear history and the proposals for new nuclear developments being pushed today. Then Sarah Lynn Cunningham, Executive Director of the Louisville Climate Action Network, shares her personal stories of successful local resistance to the nuclear build-out back in the 1970s. View Lane's Presentation Slides: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mz-CL7BiqstWzOoHWvHzK1_guQqODVNL/view?usp=sharing Backgrounder on Nuclear Players in Kentucky: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bo5aGpCGauEQZaeChH5vT8VPrlWCrSkOwM_4TSLcJ8I/edit?usp=sharing KCC’s Nuclear Energy Webpage: https://kyconservation.org/nuclear-energy We conclude with Byron Gary, Program Attorney, from the Kentucky Resource Council, about their new study released on December 11th, which evaluates Kentucky’s electricity needs, and demonstrates how new state laws are hindering a transition to a cheaper, cleaner, and more dependable energy portfolio — at a time when many Kentuckians are struggling to afford their utility bills. The independent report, commissioned by KRC, Mountain Association, Metropolitan Housing Coalition, and Earthjustice, compares multiple energy pathways through 2050 and concludes that replacing aging coal-fired power plants with a mix of renewable energy, battery storage, and efficiency investments could save Kentuckians billions while maintaining reliability. Read the report at https://kyrc.org/energy-report/ The report investigates whether continued reliance on fossil-fuels is necessary to assure affordable and reliable electricity service in Kentucky. The report found that Kentucky Senate Bills 4 (2023) and 349 (2024) hinder the development of cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable alternatives to serve Kentucky’s electricity needs. The most affordable and reliable option to serve Kentuckians’ electricity needs is a modern and diverse energy supply that includes much more renewable energy, battery storage, and demand-side resources than are currently planned by Kentucky’s regulated utilities. Kentucky Senate Bills 4 (2023) and 349 (2024) put up hurdles to retiring aging, uneconomic coal-fired power plants. The independent report explains that continued reliance on coal is not necessary, and it’s more expensive. There are cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable alternatives for Kentucky’s ratepayers. Kentucky could save upwards of 4 billion dollars by 2050 with a more diverse portfolio that includes less fossil fuels and more renewables – but these laws must be amended now. This report highlights costs and risks to ratepayers across the nation as other states, including Alaska, Arizona, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Utah and Wyoming, have also considered or passed legislation that would slow closures of an aging fleet of coal-fired power plants. On Truth to Power each week, we bring you in-depth community conversations like you won't hear anywhere else! Truth to Power airs every Friday at 9pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 4pm on Louisville's grassroots, community radio station, Forward Radio 106.5fm WFMP and live streams at https://www.forwardradio.org