Local Business · Pikeville, KY
Pikeville Seeks Data Center to Offset Coal Job Losses and Rising Electric Bills
Communities in eastern Kentucky's Pike County are pursuing data center development to replace lost coal-industry jobs and ease some of the state's highest residential electricity bills. Pike County lost 300 jobs earlier this year when a coal producer closed, and residents like food pantry operator Trissia Scott report electric costs more than doubling. Kentucky Power spokeswoman Sarah Lynch called the planned Muskie Data Campus by Maryland-based developer TeraWulf a "transformational opportunity," noting the company will pay for transmission upgrades and a new power plant rather than residential customers. Pikeville City Manager Reggie Hickman said the city negotiated openly with developers, offering no property tax breaks while addressing public concerns about water use, pollution, and noise.