On March 28, 2024, KYMEA’s All Requirements (AR) Project Committee and Board of Directors voted to
approve the Electric Plant Board of the City of Benham (Benham) request to become KYMEA’s newest AR
member. Benham joins the existing AR Members: The Cities of Bardwell, Berea, Falmouth, Madisonville,
Paris, and Providence, the Frankfort Plant Board, the Barbourville Utility Commission, and the Corbin City
Utilities Commission. Municipal electric utilities join together to create economies of scale not otherwise
afforded, and to provide low-cost and reliable wholesale power for their customers.
Located in the heart of Appalachia in Harlan County, Benham, with a population of less than 500, serves
269 residential and commercial customers. As a former International Harvester coal town, Benham is now
known for its cultural attractions related to its coal mining heritage. The Kentucky Coal Museum displays
the history of the region’s coal mining operations, and Portal 31 Underground Mine provides guided tours
of the former working coal mine.
KYMEA will begin supplying all of Benham’s wholesale power needs starting June 1, 2024.
ABOUT KENTUCKY MUNICIPAL ENERGY AGENCY
Created in September 2015, 11 municipal electric utilities entered into an Interlocal Cooperation
Agreement creating the Kentucky Municipal Energy Agency (KYMEA), a joint public agency. KYMEA was
formed to facilitate effective collaboration among its members to do all things necessary or convenient
to serve the current and future electric power and energy requirements of the members and to provide
assistance to the members related to their electric power and energy utility systems.
More information is available at www.kymea.org.