Utility ratemaking rests on the idea of cost causation. If serving a new customer requires new generation, transmission or substation capacity, the cost of that infrastructure should be allocated to the customer that made it necessary.
For very large loads, that principle is implemented through dedicated tariffs or special contracts: minimum demand charges, multi-year terms, direct assignment of interconnection costs, collateral requirements, and exit provisions that prevent stranded investment if the load leaves.
Utilities across the country, including in Kentucky, have moved toward structures of this kind. The details differ substantially, which is why the right question is never 'do they have a data center tariff' but 'what does this tariff actually require.'
For residents, the practical test is whether the protections are in an approved tariff or contract on file with the regulator. If they are, they are enforceable. If they are only in a presentation, they are not.
This briefing is written by Kentucky For Data Centers. Primary documents and third-party studies referenced in our work are listed on the research page.