Objections to Ohio River Turbines Filed

By Angela Hatton

Paducah, KY – The U. S. Department of the Interior and at least one regional organizations have filed objections to a company's proposal to install power generating turbines in the Ohio River between Paducah and Metropolis, Illinois. The Paducah Sun reports Massachusetts-based Free Flow Power is seeking preliminary permits from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to install enough hydroelectric turbines to generate 25 megawatts of power annually. Department of the Interior Environmental Officer Gregory Hogue says the construction could significantly upset the balance of wildlife in and around the Ohio. The Kentucky Municipal Power Agency has also filed an objection with FERC. Officials with the agency say Free Flow's operations in the Ohio would constitute a monopoly and inhibit other power companies from investing in this renewable power source.