ASHLAND, Ky., June 5, 2019 – While the first day of summer is a couple of weeks away, recent thunderstorms and forecasts mean the 2019 summer storm season is here. Preparing for a storm with high winds and lightning that can lead to power outages is important for both safety and comfort.
The next line of strong to severe thunderstorms is expected to hit eastern Kentucky Wednesday night and bring pockets of wind gusts of 50 to 60 miles an hour, especially in communities north of Pikeville to Ashland.Kentucky Power is prepared to respond to outages as quickly as is safe to do so following a storm and offers these tips to prepare for and stay safe during severe weather.
- Before a Storm: Create an emergency outage kit. Include flashlights and fresh batteries; battery-powered radios or televisions; candles, matches or lighters; water for drinking and cooking; canned goods and a manual can opener; important medications; and camping equipment. Charge cell phones in case you lose power. Leave a porch or front light on so you and our crews know when power is restored
- During a Storm:Take safe shelter inside and away from windows and doors. Avoid contact with appliances, metal objects and water that can conduct electricity. Never burn charcoal indoors. It releases poisonous carbon monoxide. If you use a generator, watch for utility crews and turn the generator off when crews are in your area. The electrical load on the power lines can be hazardous for crews making repairs.
- After a Storm:Never touch any downed or sagging lines, including telephone or cable wires that touch a power line. Keep pets and children away, too. Never pull tree limbs or other debris off of power lines. Report any hazards to Kentucky Power.
Should an outage occur, customers can report outages and check the latest restoration information for their account anytime at kentuckypower.com/outages or by downloading the Kentucky Power mobile app atkentuckypower.com/app. The app allows customers to easily report their outage by scanning the barcode on their meter. Customers also can call our Customer Operations Center at 1-800-572-1113.
Customers also can get specific information about outages via text message and/or email by subscribing to Kentucky Power outage alerts. To sign up, visit kentuckypower.com/alerts. Information also is posted on Facebook atfacebook.com/KentuckyPower and on Twitter at twitter.com/KentuckyPower or @KentuckyPower.
Kentucky Power, with headquarters in Ashland, provides electric service to about 166,000 customers in 20 eastern Kentucky counties. Kentucky Power is an operating company in the American Electric Power system, one of the largest electric utilities in the U.S.
