A RESOLUTION adjourning the Senate in honor of the service of Anthony S. "Tony" Campbell, former President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of East Kentucky Power Cooperative (EKPC).
Summary
SR87 is a Senate resolution honoring Anthony S. “Tony” Campbell, the former President and CEO of East Kentucky Power Cooperative (EKPC). The resolution recites Campbell’s service from 2009 to 2025 and credits him with helping EKPC meet growing energy demand while continuing to provide safe, reliable, and affordable electricity to more than 1.1 million Kentucky residents across 89 counties through its network of distribution cooperatives.
The resolution also highlights major generation and transmission initiatives undertaken during Campbell’s tenure, including the Copper Station natural gas combined-cycle unit, the Liberty Station facility in Casey County, and fuel co-firing efforts using coal and natural gas. It further notes EKPC’s financial stability, its membership in the PJM regional transmission organization, and Campbell’s role in advocating for dependable generation, grid security, and electric reliability.
Impact
SR87 does not change Kentucky statutes or create new legal requirements. Its effect is ceremonial and expressive: it formally records the Senate’s appreciation for Campbell’s leadership and directs the Senate Clerk to transmit the resolution to Senate President Robert Stivers for delivery to EKPC. The practical impact is limited to public recognition of an individual and the cooperative he led, rather than any regulatory or fiscal change affecting utilities, consumers, or state agencies.
Sentiment
The overall sentiment around the resolution is strongly positive and appreciative. The bill was adopted by voice vote, indicating broad, noncontroversial support in the Senate. The language of the resolution praises Campbell’s leadership, reliability-focused energy planning, and financial stewardship, and frames his service as beneficial to Kentucky residents, businesses, farms, and industrial customers.
Contention
There is little to no apparent contention in the available record, as no committee debate or recorded votes are provided and the resolution passed by voice vote. The only potentially substantive policy references are the resolution’s favorable mentions of natural gas generation, coal co-firing, PJM membership, and alignment with calls for grid security and more realistic coal regulations, but these are presented as praise rather than as disputed policy proposals. Because the measure is honorary, any disagreement would likely be limited to broader energy-policy preferences rather than the resolution itself.