As I settle into my new role as president of LG&E and KU Energy, I am excited about what the future holds for the utility and for you, our customer. I am honored to lead the more than 3,000 hardworking employees who are focused on delivering safe, reliable and affordable energy around the clock to you. Their dedication is the foundation of this company. They live and work in the communities we serve and are involved not only in the day-to-day operations of our utility but also in the community through volunteer activities.
While I may be new to this role, rest assured that keeping the lights on safely remains our number-one priority. We are committed to providing the service you have come to expect and investing in activities that allow us to deliver on our core business.
Fewer outages, quicker restoration
We’re continuing to invest in technology that allows us to detect power outages sooner, define locations more accurately, respond more quickly and reroute power around affected areas. That means fewer people lose power overall and outage times are shorter when power does go out. In addition, our cycle-based power line clearance program removes vegetation – and, in some cases, trees – that have the potential to impact electric lines, which also helps reduce outages.
Customer service
Being here for you is of the utmost importance to us. Our mobile app, which was launched just a few months ago, makes it easier and more convenient for you to reach out to us at any time. It’s easy to report a power outage, make a payment or conduct other business in just a few taps. We are continuously improving our app – look for new features in the coming months.
Improving power generation and transmission
Investments in our power plants continue as we work to make sure we are always producing the power you need in a safe, reliable, cost-efficient and environmentally responsible manner. As for transmission, we are replacing older transmission equipment – including replacing aging wooden poles with more durable steel poles – and installing new circuit breakers and other components vital to reliable service for the areas we serve and the energy grid as a whole.
For our natural gas customers, we are replacing aging steel pipes with longer-lasting and more consistently sized plastic pipes. This will allow for enhanced pipeline inspection tools, leading to improved safety, reliability and efficiency. We’ve invested in our natural gas storage facilities to optimize storage capacity, and we continuously monitor and inspect our gas distribution system.
You’ve probably heard the news – locally and nationally – that the cost of natural gas will be up significantly this winter. Supply is down – according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the level of gas in U.S. storage is about 17% lower than it was this time last year – and demand is up. While we do our best to purchase gas when it’s at its cheapest, our costs are driven by the market and those price fluctuations are passed through to you without a profit to us. See the article included with this newsletter for more details.
Advanced meters
Several months ago, we received approval from the Kentucky Public Service Commission to fully deploy our Advanced Metering Infrastructure. We’re happy to be able to bring the benefits of advanced meters – at no cost – to all our Kentucky customers. Having an advanced meter will allow you to see your energy usage in near-real time, giving you the opportunity to make adjustments that could save you money on your monthly bill. Installations will begin in the fall of 2022.
Sustainability
Under a recent agreement we will provide renewable energy to five major organizations in our service territories. The contracts – with the University of Kentucky, North American Stainless, the University of Louisville, Chemours and Dow – will supply solar energy from a 125-megawatt solar facility to be built in McCracken County in western Kentucky.
And our Solar Share program has been a huge hit with customers. We currently are accepting enrollments for the sixth section of our facility in Shelby County, Kentucky. When the facility is complete, there will be a total of eight 500-kilowatt sections. Solar Share provides you the opportunity to support renewable energy at a fraction of the cost of installing and maintaining your own system.
I invite you to visit our website at lge-ku.com to learn more about these and other projects and initiatives underway at our company.
My promise to you is that everything we do is driven by our unwavering commitment to safety, reliability, affordability and service to you, your family and all our customers.
Happy New Year!
John R. Crockett III
President, LG&E and KU Energy
