HENDERSON, Ky. -The City of Henderson Board of Commissioners unanimously accepted the recommendation of the Utility Commission declining to sell
Henderson Municipal Power and Light.
The matter was on the agenda for the commission's regular meeting on Tuesday, July 13. The Utility Commission originally made the recommendation at
a special meeting early in June and reaffirmed it at its regular meeting on June 28.
The members of both commissions were unanimous in agreeing that at this time it is not in the best interest of the community to give up control of
the utility and the setting of rates, as well as some of the more intangible benefits of municipal ownership.
For several months, both commissions have been studying an unsolicited offer from Big Rivers Electric Corporation to purchase the municipal utility
as well as the complex issues surrounding such a decision.
Had the Utility Commission recommended that it was time to pursue a sale and the City Commission agreed, there would have been other steps to take
before considering and negotiating the BREC offer.
BREC has made previous offers to purchase HMP&L, and also made a bid to purchase Owensboro Municipal Utilities, which the City of Owensboro declined.
Last November, BREC announced that it is relocating its downtown Henderson office operations and employees to Owensboro.
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