Capacity:  341 megawatts
Location:  near Somerset, Kentucky

Unit #1: 116 net megawatts
Unit #2: 225 net megawatts

Cooper Power Station is a two-unit, coal-fired generating facility located on the banks of Lake Cumberland near Somerset, Ky. The station is named in honor of John Sherman Cooper, a distinguished former U.S. senator who played a key role in establishing the state’s rural electric program.

Cooper Station is one of four plants owned by East Kentucky Power Cooperative in Winchester, Ky.  Unit #1 began commercial operation in 1965. A second unit was added in 1969. Together they produce 341 megawatts of power -- enough electricity to power the homes in 31 cities the size of Somerset. One megawatt powers 10,000 100-watt bulbs

Along with EKPC’s other power stations, Cooper supplies energy to 16 electric cooperatives across 89 Kentucky counties, serving about one million Kentuckians.

Cooper has an excellent track record of environmental stewardship. In recent years, the facility has increased energy production while cutting emissions. Special burners have been added that reduce the facility’s nitrogen oxide emissions. Plates connected to the boiler collect ash, a non-hazardous material that is a byproduct of burning coal, to be disposed of safely in a landfill. Additional equipment is scheduled to be installed to further reduce emissions.

We pride ourselves on providing Kentuckians with low-cost, dependable power. Our purpose today is the same as it was when rural electrification began. We exist not to make money, but to improve the lives of those at the end of the line.