Thank you to our customers who braved the cold with us
Thursday, January 9, 2014
“Polar vortex” certainly became the buzz word this week when brutally cold weather pushed through the commonwealth, plunging us into subzero temperatures. The coldest weather in almost 20 years led to record-breaking energy usage across our service territories.
On Monday, the company set five new peak energy demand records, prompting a precautionary request for voluntary conservation from customers.
Even with customers’ voluntary conservation efforts, Jan. 6-7, KU continued to set a new all-time peak record Jan. 7 — surpassing the record set the previous day, which itself had surpassed the record set in 2009.
With temperatures steadily on the rise for the remainder of the week, the company lifted its voluntary conservation appeal to customers Wednesday. We want to thank our customers for their efforts and patience.
Employees brave the cold to keep customers warm
Many of our employees worked around the clock earlier this week to ensure customers saw minimal impact in their service. Employees characteristically stepped up to the task, many of them working outdoors in bitter cold. Gas technicians tripled the amount of gas pressure checks to ensure an adequate volume of gas reached every customer. Workers at the Mill Creek plant spent hours breaking up coal with sledge hammers after it arrived by train in a frozen, solid mass.
Using energy wisely can help lessen the cold’s impact on your utility bill
