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\nGovernor Andy Beshear’s administration appears poised to give Ford Motor Company more time to meet the job and wage requirements that came with a more than $250 million incentives package designed to bring the BlueOval SK battery project to fruition.<\/p>\n
The original plan to open two large EV battery facilities in Hardin County fell apart when the Ford and SK On joint venture dissolved in late 2025. The first plant is scheduled to close February 14, resulting in nearly 1,600 layoffs, while the second plant never began operations.<\/p>\n
Ford has pivoted, investing $2 billion to retrofit at least one of the facilities for energy storage units instead, a factory officials say will create 2,100 Kentucky jobs.<\/p>\n
On paper, Ford would be on the hook to repay Kentucky for at least some of the $250 million loan of taxpayer dollars funneled to the BlueOval SK initiative.<\/p>\n
But the reality is the partnership between Kentucky and Ford goes back more than 100 years, and on Wednesday in front of a panel of state senators, Economic Development Secretary Jeff Noel, a top Beshear administration official, indicated they intend to give Ford more time to meet the conditions of the agreement.<\/p>\n
Noel called it a possible “adjusted repayment schedule.”<\/p>\n
In a statement, Beshear’s Communications Director Scottie Ellis said, “There will be a timeline included in the amended agreement, which is still being negotiated and will be available once finalized. Team Kentucky has full confidence in our longtime partner Ford. We are in direct contact with Ford leadership, and conversations are progressing well as we work together to ensure the restructured project moves forward and is successful for both the company, Kentucky, and our workforce.”<\/p>\n
In a statement, a Ford spokesperson said, “We’ve been engaging in positive conversations with the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, and those discussions are ongoing. We look forward to building on Ford’s strong manufacturing presence in Kentucky.”<\/p>\n
Ford\u2019s new energy storage initiative could take 18 months to get up and running in Hardin County.
\nSource: WHAS11<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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