Some folks in Southern Kentucky are learning their electric bills could soon double in cost.

People in the Lake Cumberland area could see increases of nearly 50 percent because of ongoing work on Wolf Creek Dam.

The Army Corps of Engineers has classified work on the Wolf Creek Dam as a "Major Rehabilitation Program."

A Rehabilitation Program is 50 percent federally funded and 50 percent consumer cost which means rates will likely increase.

Congressman Ed Whitfield testified before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee asking officials to not let Kentuckians foot the bill.

"If it's determined to not be a safety issue, then the electric rates for everyone in that area will increase by 46 percent... at a time with high unemployment, many people are without jobs, and we have many businesses that would go bankrupt by no fault of their own," said Whitfield.

Congressman Whitfield addressed his concerns in a congressional committee.

He thinks because Wolf Creek Dam was declared a "high risk" dam for failure and ranked as one of the top five national priorities by the Army Corps of Engineers-- the project should be classified under "Safety Assurance."

"All along it was made very clear to us that it was in danger of breaking, lives were threatened, property threatened, and it was an emergency issue," said Whitfield.

In a letter obtained by WYMT, the Army Corps of Engineers is now saying the work on Wolf Creek Dam is not safety related.

Whitfield says if the project is not classified as a safety issue, it will impact how the repairs will be paid for under the Water Resources Development Act.

The Army Corps of Engineers say if they reclassify it, it would result in hundreds of millions of dollars in additional costs to the federal government.

Congressman Hal Rogers issued this statement saying Kentuckians have suffered enough and wants to make sure people living in the area don't get stuck with the bill.