JUNE 18, 2018
Kentucky Power offers cooling tips as temperatures soar…
{NOTE – The cause of yesterday’s three hour outage that affected over 1,300 custumors in the Louisa area was: “A large tree outside of the maintained right of way fell onto the lines, bringing down some wire and damaging some poles,” — Allison Barker.}
Temperatures are expected to hover from 95-104 today and tomorrow in the Levisa and Tug Fork area.
“We’re above normal, for sure” NWS Louisville meteorologist Evan Webb said. “For yesterday, June 17, we hit 95. And 86 degrees is typical.”
The National Weather Service sent out an advisory Monday morning urging residents to keep an eye on the elderly, people without access to air conditioning, and pets.
“The heat wave is going to continue,” Webb said. “If you’re working or playing it’s definitely best to confine that to the early mornings or late evenings.
During the three hour outage Sunday when temperatures were in the mid 90’s Mike Woods and Lawrence County EMS quickly set up a “cooling station” at the Lawrence Co. Community Center for anyone who needed to escape the heat and get water. WHAT A RELIEF! Thanks, Mike.
Stay tuned for announcements concerning future relief efforts if the heat persists.
ASHLAND, Ky., June 18, 2018 – The first week of summer is bringing a heat wave that has air conditioning units humming and fans turning as Kentucky Power customers try to beat the heat.
“As temperatures climb, air conditioners and fans have to work harder and use more energy to keep homes cool,” said Cindy Wiseman, Kentucky Power’s managing director external affairs and customer services. “During extreme weather, customers may see spikes in their next bill. However, there are lots of ways customers can control their electric bills, even in extreme heat.”
Thousands of customers are faced with temperatures hovering around or above 90 degrees. Temperatures are expected to remain high the next few days as the heat wave moves east across the United States.
There are many simple energy efficiency measures customers can put into place to save money without jeopardizing comfort, including:
* Repair and weatherstrip air leaks in the home; up to 25 percent of energy used to cool homes escapes via leaks.
* Maintain consistent temperatures and monitor your thermostat settings.
* Install ceiling fans to circulate cool air throughout the house.
* Close drapes and shades on south-facing windows to block sun and heat during the day.
* Move furnishings away from floor or return air vents.
* Avoid using heat-producing appliances such as ovens or dryers during the hottest parts of the day.
Other energy savings ideas are available at https://kentuckypower.com/save/residential/learn/Cooling.aspx. Customers also are encouraged to think ahead and plan for winter when electric bills tend to spike again.
Kentucky Power offers the average monthly payment plan, designed to level out bills over a 12-month cycle so that customers do not experience summer and winter spikes, when usage is typically at its highest. Customers who are experiencing financial hardship should contact the Company’s 24-hour Customer Solutions Center at 800-572-1113.
“With the average monthly payment plan, customers won’t see a sudden jump in their bills just because of the weather,” Wiseman said. “This often makes it easier for customers to budget and plan for their power bills.”
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Kentucky Power, with headquarters in Ashland, provides service to about 168,000 customers in 20 eastern Kentucky counties. It is an operating company in the AEP system.
