LG&E and KU's system, employees prepared to meet the demands of extreme cold
Monday, January 6, 2014
As extremely cold temperatures grip the area, LG&E and KU representatives reiterated to the public yesterday the company is prepared to meet increased energy demands and will quickly and safely respond to any operational issues.
Company officials joined Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, city agencies and emergency responders at a press conference on Sunday to ensure public safety and readiness.
Company officials joined Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, city agencies and emergency responders at a press conference on Sunday to ensure public safety and readiness.
The public was reminded that LG&E and KU's entire system is in good shape to handle customers' increased energy demands. The weather update also included the following:
- Our electric and natural gas crews are available 24/7 to respond to any system issues.
- Across the company, our front-line and back-office employees are ready to meet customers' service needs.
- Because of extreme temperatures, we have temporarily suspended disconnections for non-payment.
- We also offer these important safety tips and information.
Frigid temps may set new system records
The brutal cold is putting a spike in customers' electric and natural gas use. Today's natural gas demand is forecasted to be at 513 million cubic feet, close to the all-time record of 538 million cubic feet set on Jan. 20, 1985. Additionally, a record combined electric system winter peak of 6,400 megawatts is anticipated to be reached Tuesday morning.
"We’ve closely monitored the weather forecast and have been conducting numerous readiness calls over the last several days," said Paul W. Thompson, Chief Operating Officer for LG&E and KU. "Our system is designed to safely and reliably operate in extreme conditions, and employees are prepared to respond to issues any time, any where across our service area."
Stay tuned...
We'll update this blog, our Facebook and Twitter accounts regularly this week with updates concerning the weather and other important information.
