America's Energy Capital

Leading the way to Energy Independence

Welcome to Pike County, Kentucky--America's Energy Capital™. With vast energy resources in coal and natural gas, Pike County becomes the first county in the nation to develop a comprehensive energy policy to be a leader in America's energy independence. Kentucky's mining industry is the state's third largest industry, representing 3.6 billion in annual revenue. Pike County produces more than 30 million tons of coal annually. There are more than 17,000 natural gas wells in Kentucky, many of them in gas-rich Pike County.

In April 2007, Judge/Executive Wayne T. Rutherford, along with the Governor announced a comprehensive energy strategy developed in a unique partnership with the Southern States Energy Board (www.sseb.org), a national authority on energy policy. This announcement was the culmination of months of intensive research and planning to position Pike County as a leader in the development of energy resources.

The goal is to develop the public-private partnerships necessary to create a value-added energy industry. Pike County government has begun the process of establishing the Appalachian Energy Research Center. The AERC, a consortium of leading research universities and private investors, will focus on technologies related not only to coal and natural gas, but also to biomass/biofuels, hydroelectric power, and other forms of alternative energy. Its anchor will be a coal-to-liquid transportation fuel plant. Pike County stands at the forefront of the push for energy independence.

Energy Policy

To view a PDF version of "An Energy Strategy for Pike County, Kentucky, Click here.