Fight heats up over proposed KY power line. Residents, Berea College oppose plan
A nearly two-year battle over a transmission line in Berea is escalating, as a power company has declared eminent domain on properties in Madison and Jackson counties to try to proceed with the project.
Known as the Big Hill Line, the project was proposed in 2023 by the East Kentucky Power Cooperative to construct a high-voltage electric transmission line and substation spanning 8.5 miles across the two counties.
In June, the power company sued, claiming eminent domain over eight properties — three in Jackson County, five in Madison County — to proceed with their already delayed timeline.
Perhaps most notably, the project would run through the Berea College Forest, prompting a legal response from college officials who have opposed the project on environmental and economic grounds.
In addition to environmental concerns, Berea College said the proposed project could undermine local economic and conservation goals, including ecotourism, sustainable forestry practices and habitat restoration work.
“Berea College’s Forest is not simply land — it is a living laboratory, a community treasure and a carefully stewarded ecosystem that supports our mission of sustainability and service,” Berea College President Cheryl L. Nixon said in the school’s Aug. 21 response to the eminent domain lawsuit. “We have asked for information in order to fully understand the data that justifies this project and the route proposed. Until that happens, we will continue to advocate for solutions that protect our Forest, respect our property rights and serve the broader public good.”
About the project
East Kentucky Power proposed the project at a September 2023 public meeting in Berea, and it faced quick and fierce backlash from the community.
This project will use above-ground steel or wooden poles because the cost of burying transmission lines is prohibitive, according to the project’s website. It will use a mix of single- and double-pole construction.
The decision to declare eminent domain against property owners was “the last resort,” Nick Comer, the company’s communications director, said in an emailed statement to the Herald-Leader.
East Kentucky Power officials say the power lines are necessary to ensure the reliability of electric service for residents in unincorporated areas of Madison County including Big Hill, Red Lick and Pilot Knob.
For now, most electric cooperative members in southeastern Madison County, including the areas east and southeast of Berea, are served from a substation that feeds electricity to 4,100 meters, more than any other substation in the company’s system, according to Comer.
The substation is close to becoming overloaded, Comer said, which was evident in January when high electricity usage caused equipment to near its capacity.
The new substation would serve about 1,500 meters from a new segment of transmission line feeding electricity from the south, Comer said, to provide more flexibility that could reduce the risk of outages.
“EKPC has listened and responded to the concerns of the community and affected property owners about potential impacts of this project,” Comer said. “EKPC is taking reasonable steps to mitigate impacts while ensuring reliable electric service.”
But opponents say the electric company has made no effort to comply with providing data about the project’s impact.
Berea Mayor Bruce Fraley declined to comment on the fight.
“While we don’t have official comment, our council members and administration have heard from opponents and proponents of the proposed transmission project since first revealed in the fall of 2023,” Fraley told the Herald-Leader.
College claims project could affect forest, drinking water
Berea College has consistently opposed the project, which they say would have a long-term impact on the forest, which is used for education, research, sustainable forestry, wildlife preservation and watershed protection.
The line could be placed directly in the path of the Pinnacles, a popular outdoor recreation destination.
And for residents, the project’s location near the city’s water supply at Owsley Fork Reservoir is a major concern.
A Bell Engineering Water Impact Study from January 2024 revealed the transmission line’s construction would harm water quality at the reservoir.
The report outlines mitigation and best management practices for construction that, if implemented, would not result in a significant enough impact on water quality to warrant opposition to the project.
But Craig Williams, a Berea native and environmental specialist, asked the Berea City Council in a recent letter: “Are we willing to have Berea’s water negatively impacted to the point of ‘almost significant’?”
Awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2006 for his efforts in nationwide chemical demilitarization, Williams said his focus is the safety of water supply for Berea. He is also a member of the Stop the Big Hill Line Coalition.
Williams said even if the electric company were to make a promise to mitigate the potential impacts, that doesn’t mean they will keep them.
“In my experience with the chemical demilitarization project, bureaucracy doesn’t always keep the promise of what they say they are going to do,” Williams said in an interview with the Herald-Leader. “Promises don't often go with the reality of the future.” Williams suggested modifying the route so it “would not impact water quality of the entire city in any way, whether it is significant or not.”
“I think it's a ridiculous proposal,” Williams said. “It is not adequately studied, they’ve not looked at alternative routes, and not provided enough evidence to demonstrate the need. Otherwise, I’m all in favor of it.”
A motion hearing is scheduled for Sept. 19 for the college’s lawsuit.
