(These letters to the editor first appeared in the December print edition of the Hendersonian.)
Misconception that wind and solar provide reliable, uninterrupted energy
Dear Editor:
In the Letters to the Editor section of your November 2025 issue, a local landowner stated “wind farms are constructed and help to provide reliable, uninterrupted energy to utilities.”
I agree that wind and solar are a source of supply to the electrical grid. However, it is a misconception that these technologies provide reliable, uninterrupted energy.” Wind and solar are intermittent sources of supply because the production of power depends on unpredictable and variable factors like weather (the sun shining or the wind blowing). The lack of consistent, on-demand power makes it necessary to have other power sources (coal, natural gas, nuclear, etc.) as “base load” to ensure our electrical needs are met.
In September, Rock Bluff Energy sponsored an Open House bringing in representatives from Cordelio and Tenaska. One of the representatives, Kyle Gerking, when asked about the output capacity expected given weather conditions stated the max capacity is around 30%.
These industrial grade renewable energy projects do not keep us out of the dark. They put more uncertainty into the grid.
My hope for Henderson is that we protect the “nature” of our rural agricultural economy with responsible development.
Rebekah Wood
Henderson
To Vought: Henderson County says no to wind turbines
Dear Editor:
In response to (Cordelio Vice President for Development) Tim Vought’s Statement…
The citizens of Henderson County are fed up, and we’re not staying silent any longer. Tim Vought’s recent statement in the Hendersonian, pushing the Planning Commission and Henderson County Fiscal Court to ram through a wind ordinance, is a blatant attempt to shove the Rock Bluff Energy Park down our throats. We don’t want these massive wind turbines, BESS systems, or massive solar projects here—period. These projects are a scam that benefit foreign corporations and absentee landowners while leaving our community to deal with the mess for decades. The Fiscal Court has ignored our countless concerns, and it’s time they listen to the people, not Cordelio’s mouthpiece.
Let’s call out Vought’s nonsense for what it is:
He sent Cordelio’s weak, developer-friendly ordinance to the fiscal court, didn’t he? That ordinance gives Cordelio a blank check to do whatever they want in our county, with barely any restrictions to protect us. Who does he think he is, dictating our future?
Vought demanded this ordinance by year’s end, as if he or Cordelio were elected to run Henderson County. Newsflash: they weren’t. We didn’t vote for you, Tim, or your Canadian bosses to bulldoze our community’s rights.
His job is to force this green energy con on us, no matter the cost. We’re the ones who’ll be stuck with the fallout—ugly turbines, toxic BESS fires, and ruined land for 20+ years. Henderson County says NO.
Vought even had the nerve to bring up Cordelio’s Louisville lawyer, threatening litigation to scare the Fiscal Court. Intimidation? Bullying? That’s not how we do business here. Cordelio’s strong-arm tactics prove they’re not the honorable company we deserve. Remember the solar company in Robards that pulled the same stunt to slash permit fees? The fiscal court caved then, and we won’t let them roll over again just because Vought mentions a lawyer.
He brags that wind turbines have been around forever but conveniently skips that they’re the least efficient energy source out there—20–30% capacity at best. Unreliable energy is worthless energy, and we’re not falling for it when other cheaper and reliable options exist.
Vought stays silent on wildlife destruction. Cordelio treats our endangered species, birds, and other wildlife as collateral damage. Our wildlife isn’t disposable, Tim.
He ignores proven health risks from turbine noise and shadow flicker—sleep loss, stress, and worse for folks living nearby.
Property values? Vought won’t admit they will tank—20–40% drops near turbines, maybe more? He’ll trot out Cordelio’s paid “experts” with outdated cherry-picked data to lie about it, but we’re not buying their snake oil!
BESS systems are a ticking time bomb. Once on fire, and you’ve got uncontrollable toxins poisoning our air, water, soil, livestock and people. Unfortunately, our fiscal court had contracted an expert for a BESS ordinance that was written only to have it rewritten by Judge Schneider to appease the BESS companies’ approval at the same time removing safety measures and restrictions, and our magistrates went right along with it knowing the risk they were putting Henderson residents in.
Mr. Vought claims Cordelio would build without taxpayer handouts covering 60% of costs. Laughable. Kentucky isn’t a high wind area. It’s all about the American taxpayers paying for their projects and sending the money back to support a Canadian pension fund. And we have elderly people barely making it on Social Security but we are going to fund a foreign country’s pension fund?
Wind farms never break even—manufacturing, construction, maintenance, and decommissioning costs, etc., far outweigh their pathetic power output. Without our tax dollars, Cordelio wouldn’t touch Henderson.
Mr. Vought, Cordelio—back off. Our elected officials need to stop kowtowing and start listening to us. Fiscal court you best take ALL the time needed to protect Henderson County, because Cordelio and Timmy will be gone, and we’ll be stuck with your disaster again. Remember a little town called Robards.
We need to bring back integrity, trust and respect to the court. The fiscal court must slam the door shut on wind turbines, BESS, and large-scale solar projects. Again, the Cordelio scheme only enriches absentee landowners, foreign pensions and foreign corporations, leaving the rest of us with nothing but problems.
Henderson County citizens are united: We don’t want you here! Fiscal Court, do your job and stand with us, not Cordelio. We deserve better than this from you guys.
James Hill
Hebbardsville
To facilitate a robust community discussion, the Hendersonian welcomes letters to the editor that discuss local issues from all points of view. We edit for clarity, style and if needed, brevity. We reserve the right to decline publication of letters that are distasteful and disrespectful. Send letters to news@the-hendersonian.com and include a phone number and town in which you live. We will call to verify that you are the writer and won’t publish the phone number.
