June is National Safety Month

LG&E and KU offer customers energy-related safety tips to protect themselves

(LOUISVILLE, Ky.) – The National Safety Council is celebrating June as National Safety Month. As the month begins, Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company are reminding customers to be vigilant in taking energy-related safety precautions.

To help customers protect themselves, the utilities are offering tips customers should keep in mind and resources to help plan ahead. 

1. Stay informed and alert – Energy-related emergencies can happen as a result of severe weather, faulty appliances, or other unexpected circumstances. Staying away from downed power lines and using your senses to detect a natural gas leak are important precautions. Learn the do’s and don’ts of electric and natural gas safety by visiting lge-ku.com/safety.
    
2. Guard against scammers – Perpetrators look for ideal opportunities to take advantage of consumers in a variety of ways. Today’s scammers are employing increasingly sophisticated measures in attempt to pull off their crimes, including posing as utility workers and impersonating utility customer service and billing representatives. Customers can protect against falling victim to scammers by becoming familiar with signs of potential scam activity and following LG&E and KU’s SAFE tips.
    
3. Use Kentucky 811 – Staying safe means digging safe by using Kentucky 811. It’s not a suggestion, it’s the law.
   
   The free statewide computer-operated communication system enables consumers to submit a “locate request,” which is passed on to each member company that provides natural gas, electric, telephone, cable, sewer and water service in the requested area. Each company will then either mark its underground lines or notify the individual if there are no underground lines. Using the service helps to protect public safety, avoid costly repairs and fines, and guard against the potential for disrupting service to an individual or entire neighborhood.
   
   Consumers can access Kentucky 811 through its online option “811Now” or by dialing 8-1-1. All LG&E and many KU service territory locations are included under the 811-call center. KU customers should visit KU's Call Before You Dig web page or call 800-981-0600 to determine the appropriate area contact for having underground electric lines marked.
    
4. Leverage your resources – LG&E and KU offer an extensive online library of information about electric and natural gas safety, storm and outage information and other energy topics. 
   
   Visit lge-ku.com. Additional tips, information and resources can be found on the National Safety Council website, nsc.org. 

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Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company, part of the PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) family of companies, are regulated utilities that serve more than 1.3 million customers and have consistently ranked among the best companies for customer service in the United States. LG&E serves 329,000 natural gas and 418,000 electric customers in Louisville and 16 surrounding counties. KU serves 558,000 customers in 77 Kentucky counties and five counties in Virginia. More information is available at www.lge-ku.com and www.pplweb.com.