Kentucky’s largest utilities investing year-round to meet customers’ needs
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For Kentucky’s largest utilities, LG&E and KU, preparedness means continuous work and system enhancements — like replacing wooden transmission poles with steel — to ensure the reliable service their customers depend on. Photo provided by KU
Each September, on the heels of tornado and wildfire seasons and in the midst of hurricanes, the U.S. recognizes the importance of National Preparedness Month. During the 30 days of observation, families and communities are reminded and encouraged to plan ahead so they can be ready when disasters or emergencies strike.
Exactly how to prepare means different things for different people, businesses, industries and agencies. If we’ve learned anything in 2020, it’s how quickly things can change and the importance of taking necessary precautions for yourself, your family and your business.
For Kentucky’s largest utilities, Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company, preparedness also means ongoing maintenance and periodic enhancements to the energy infrastructure that enables the utilities to provide the safe, reliable service their more than 1.3 million customers depend on, whenever it’s needed. Customers’ reliance on utilities has been underlined this year, with electric and natural gas fueling much-needed services responding to the pandemic, shifts to virtual education, more work from home and businesses remaining nimble in their operations.
Investing in the energy superhighways
As part of LG&E and KU’s ongoing efforts, continuous work takes place across the utilities’ system year-round. In the high voltage electric transmission system — which serves as the energy superhighway that transports electricity and ultimately delivers it into the distribution system that provides electric service to businesses, neighborhoods and homes — LG&E and KU are performing numerous enhancements. This includes upgrading transmission lines, replacing aging wooden poles with steel and conducting tree clearance around system equipment.
Investing in faster service restoration
Throughout the LG&E and KU electric system as a whole, the utilities are installing automated restoration equipment along power lines to restore service faster than ever before and centralizing grid operations. Coupled with crews’ field work, the investments mean greater efficiencies, more real-time data, improved reliability and a better experience for customers. Already, the utilities’ automated equipment has prevented more than 150,000 service interruptions and saved nearly 29 million minutes when customers would have been without power. In fact, ongoing efforts across LG&E and KU’s electric system have reduced how often and how long power outages last by about 20% since 2011.
Investing in safe, reliable natural gas service
The same type of detailed planning that takes place in the utilities’ electric system extends into the LG&E natural gas system, which is made up of more than 4,700 miles of natural gas transmission and distribution lines; compressor stations that move the gas through the system to customers; and natural gas storage fields that enable the utility to purchase gas when costs are low, store it for later use, and pass the savings to customers. To ensure safe, reliable natural gas service, LG&E employs comprehensive natural gas safety measures that include monitoring of the system 24/7 by a central gas control room; conducting leak surveys; operating a Pipeline Integrity Management Program that identifies and minimizes potential pipeline risks; and educating community partners and the general public about natural gas safety. In addition to those ongoing efforts, the utility is replacing aging gas lines and enhancing the system to accommodate growth and expansion.
While the utilities’ efforts are essential in keeping households, businesses and communities across the Commonwealth operating in any climate, the continuous work that keeps the LG&E and KU system operating seamlessly for its customers has proven even more critical during the ongoing pandemic.
Visit lge-ku.com to learn more about the utilities’ investments.
Crews work to relocate and upgrade a natural gas main in downtown Louisville as part of system enhancements designed to better serve customers. Photo provided by KU