FRANKFORT, KY - In response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina throughout the Gulf Region, Kentucky Power has dispatched crews to help restore power to hundreds of thousands of customers.
 
Late last week, prior to Katrina’s impact on Florida, the company dispatched six line mechanics from the Ashland area, four from the Hazard area, and four from the Pikeville area. This week, in response to the storms impact on Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, the company dispatched 16 contract line crew workers to further assist recovery efforts. In all, the company has released 30 employees to the region.
 
"Kentucky Power is doing what it can to lend a hand to recovery efforts in the Gulf Region," said Tim Mosher, president and chief operating officer of Kentucky Power. "We have sent highly trained and skilled personnel who can jump in immediately and help restore power to people who desperately need it."
 
"Of course, we appreciate the willingness of our employees and their families to volunteer to assist in recovery efforts. It’s no small sacrifice they make to be away from their families to help others. They will be gone for several weeks and face many challenges, including limited accommodations, a stressed economic infrastructure and devastation beyond compare."

Kentucky Power provides electricity to approximately 175,000 customers in all or parts of 20 Eastern Kentucky counties. It is a unit of American Electric Power, the nation’s largest electricity generator. AEP owns more than 36,000 megawatts of generating capacity and is one of the nation’s largest electric utilities, with more than 5 million customers in 11 states. AEP is based in Columbus, Ohio.