LG&E and KU, along with PPL, donate $100,000 to the Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund
(LOUISVILLE, Ky.) – In the wake of the historic tornadoes that ripped through Kentucky late Friday and early Saturday, Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company are donating $50,000 to the Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund and their parent company, PPL, is making a matching $50,000 contribution.
“Our hearts go out to those who were impacted by these storms,” said John Crockett, president of LG&E and KU. “We realize that this contribution will never bring back all that has been lost, but we hope it will help with the immediate needs of those in the hard-hit areas of our state.”
Given the devastation and loss of life, these tornadoes are likely to be the worst in Kentucky’s history. LG&E and KU witnessed first-hand the damage that took place from the tornadoes. At least one employee lost a family member, another’s family home was destroyed and many experienced property damage. More than 600 employees and contractors worked around the clock throughout the weekend and continue to work to repair service. While the worst of the devastation was not in LG&E and KU’s service territory, more than 65,000 customers experienced outages and there was significant damage to company assets, including a demolished substation in Dawson Springs, more than 450 broken poles and 400 downed power lines.
“I’m proud of how our crews continue to work safely and quickly to restore service to our customers. They, along with the volunteers who raced to help others, are true heroes,” Crockett added. “However, it is heartbreaking to realize, no matter how hard our crews work, there are places in Kentucky where there is nothing left to accept the service we provide. It’s with heavy hearts that we make this contribution today.”
For those wishing to support to those impacted by the storms, the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce has established a comprehensive webpage for ways to help: How You Can Help Those In Need After Devastating Storms | Kentucky Chamber
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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 332,000 natural gas and 425,000 electric customers in Louisville and 16 surrounding counties. KU serves 564,000 customers in 77 Kentucky counties and five counties in Virginia. More information is available at www.lgeku.com and www.pplweb.com.
