LOUISVILLE, Ky. — E.ON U.S. today unveiled an online outage map system that will significantly enhance how the utility communicates outage information to its customers and the general public.
Hosted on www.lge-ku.com, the new outage map will show near real-time outages across the service territories of E.ON U.S. subsidiaries Louisville Gas and Electric Company, Kentucky Utilities Company and Old Dominion Power. The map will be a permanent fixture on the site, offering outage information year-round — during storms and on "blue sky" days. A tutorial is also available that offers quick tips on how to navigate the system.
"After the September 2008 wind storm and the January 2009 ice storm, we wanted to be proactive in enhancing communications and provide more timely information to our customers about outages," said Greg Thomas, vice president of Energy Delivery — Distribution Operations for E.ON U.S.
"With today's technology and our customers' desire for instant feedback, the online outage map will be a well-received tool. Now, customers will have the most up-to-date information we have available on outages in their areas."
The map pulls data from the company's Outage Management System (OMS). These outage numbers appear on the map and in charts showing outages by county and by zip code. The site is updated automatically in regular intervals based on information available in OMS. Additionally, once operational staff have assessed the extent of an outage, estimated restoration times will be provided on the map.
In addition to the online outage map project, the company has been using Twitter since May 2009 as a communications channel.
Customers also can report their outages online by registering their account on the company's My Account application at my.lge-ku.com. The outage reporting feature was launched in summer 2009 and offers another outlet for customers to quickly and securely report their outage.
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E.ON U.S., headquartered in Louisville, Ky., is a subsidiary of E.ON A.G., the world's largest investor-owned energy services provider. E.ON U.S. is a diversified energy services company that owns and operates Louisville Gas and Electric Company, a regulated utility that serves 314,000 natural gas and 389,000 electric customers in Louisville and 16 surrounding counties, and Kentucky Utilities Company, a regulated electric utility in Lexington, Ky., that serves 538,000 customers in 77 Kentucky counties and five counties in Virginia.
