BIG SANDY
Partly retiredCoal power plant
- Capacity
- 1,097 MW
- Primary fuel
- Coal
- County
- Lawrence County
- Operator
- KENTUCKY POWER CO
- EIA plant ID
- 1353
- Generators
- 1
- Net generation (2024)
- 1,102 GWh
- Capacity factor (2024, EIA nameplate)
- 45%
- Data vintage
- EIA-860 2024 final; EIA-923 2022-2024 final
- Coordinates
- 38.1712, -82.6178
BIG SANDY, a partly retired 1,097 MW Coal power plant in Lawrence County, Kentucky. Most of its capacity was retired, most recently in 2015, according to EIA-860.
How BIG SANDY compares
EIA-860 lists 281 MW still operable at the site (natural gas steam turbine), against the 1,097 MW recorded for it. It shares Lawrence County with one other operating plant, RIVERSIDE GENERATING LLC.
Under the same EIA plant code, EIA-860 lists 1 generator at the site with 281 MW of nameplate capacity (this page's HIFLD capacity figure is 1,097 MW). Net generation was 1,102 GWh in 2024 (a 45% capacity factor), about 2.2 times its 2022 output.
Grid neighborhood
The nearest named substation is BAKER (765 kV), about 0.9 miles away; the closest transmission line found within 10 miles is a 345 kV line owned by KENTUCKY POWER CO, under 0.1 miles away. Another 3 operating power plants totaling 2,011 MW sit within 25 miles; the largest is RIVERSIDE GENERATING LLC (1,150 MW, Natural Gas).
Computed by Bywatts from HIFLD power plant, substation and transmission line records and EIA-860/923 survey data; distances are straight-line. Sources and methodology
Weather peril exposure
BIG SANDY is a partly retired 1,097 MW coal power plant in Lawrence County, KY, operated by KENTUCKY POWER CO. Lawrence County carries elevated modeled catastrophe exposure in the FEMA National Risk Index, scoring 2.7 of 5 at the 43rd national percentile. Riverine flooding is the leading peril, rated Relatively Moderate by FEMA at the 99th percentile.
The Bywatts loss layer is calibrated to solar PV hardware, so it is not applied to a coal plant. The ratings below are the FEMA National Risk Index county hazard ratings for this location.
Lawrence County hazard ratings
| Peril | FEMA rating | National percentile | Peril score | Events per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverine flooding | Relatively Moderate | 99th | 5.0 of 5 | 1.8 |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 73rd | 3.9 of 5 | <0.01 |
| Strong wind | Relatively Low | 57th | 3.3 of 5 | 2.8 |
| Hail | Very Low | 49th | 3.0 of 5 | 3.4 |
| Ice storm | Relatively Low | 44th | 2.8 of 5 | 0.36 |
| Winter weather | Relatively Low | 43rd | 2.7 of 5 | 8.6 |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 42nd | 2.7 of 5 | 0.02 |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 42nd | 2.7 of 5 | <0.01 |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 36th | 2.5 of 5 | 50.0 |
| Heat wave | Relatively Low | 36th | 2.4 of 5 | 4.2 |
| Tornado | Very Low | 22nd | 1.9 of 5 | 0.07 |
Perils not assessed in Lawrence County
These perils carry no usable National Risk Index figure for this county, so they are excluded from the scoring rather than scored zero. A zero would claim the peril was assessed and found benign.
| Peril | Why it is not scored |
|---|---|
| Coastal flooding | FEMA rating is "Not Applicable" for this county |
Model hail, wind and flood exposure for Lawrence County in the weather risk calculator
Ratings are the FEMA National Risk Index county hazard ratings; the peril score is a Bywatts transform of the FEMA national percentile. Full data sources and the solar vulnerability methodology are in the weather risk calculator.
Modeled estimate for screening and negotiation. Built from FEMA National Risk Index county hazard data and a solar vulnerability layer documented above. Not a quote, a binder, or actuarial advice, and not a substitute for a carrier's own model. Hazard data: FEMA National Risk Index December 2025, synced 2026-07-24. Resolution is county level, not site level.