Kentucky greenlights 210 MW at former coal mine in “just transition” push

• Kentucky approves the 210-MW first phase of BrightNight’s 800-MW Starfire solar project on a reclaimed coal mine, marking a milestone in mine-land PV.

Kentucky regulators have approved the first 210 MW phase of the Starfire solar complex, a multi-stage plan exceeding 800 MW on a former coal mining site spanning 8,000 acres across Breathitt, Perry, and Knott counties. Developer BrightNight secured the siting board’s permit after the regulator found no significant adverse impacts on neighboring properties or viewsheds.

Phase 1 will occupy 1,980 acres and take 12–18 months to build, with construction expected to begin in early 2026, according to company statements. The broader project, advanced with local partner Edelen Renewables, is emblematic of the Appalachian energy transition—repurposing disturbed land with grid-scale clean power and related tax revenues.

Beyond symbolism, mine-land solar brings practical advantages: large contiguous parcels, existing access roads and transmission corridors, and fewer biodiversity conflicts. But it also demands careful geotechnical work, drainage management, and reclamation coordination. Kentucky’s approval suggests those pieces are falling into place for Starfire’s first tranche.

If subsequent phases proceed on schedule, Starfire would rank among the largest single-site solar projects in the eastern US. For utilities wrestling with reliability and fuel price volatility, staging an 800-MW build in coal country could become a blueprint for pairing economic redevelopment with decarbonization.