FRANKFORT, KY:  10 A.M. – A damaging storm packing dangerous and extremely high winds moved across Kentucky Power’s service territory area late Wednesday afternoon causing approximately 38,800 customers to lose power. The strong winds continued throughout the overnight hours leading to additional outage cases as tree and tree branches fell across power lines, utility poles and support structures broke and wires fell to the ground.
 
Kentucky Power crews worked through the night to evaluate damage and return circuits to service as safely and quickly as possible. At this point, Kentucky Power estimates it may be as late as midnight Monday before all its customers see their power restored, although that estimate is subject to change as situations develop.
 
The company reports there are many downed power lines throughout its service area and cautioned residents to never approach downed power lines. No matter how harmless a downed wire may appear it should be considered energized and dangerous. Report all downed power lines to Kentucky Power at (800) 572-1113 or notify local emergency or law enforcement officials immediately. Never approach or touch anything that comes in contact with a downed power line.
 
Kentucky Power asks residents without power not to stop linemen, crew trucks or tree trimmers as they work or travel to restore power; doing so will only hinder ongoing restoration efforts. The company asks customers for their patience and understanding as we make repairs to electrical facilities serving them.
 
As of 10 a.m. today, the following outage numbers were estimated by the company. Company officials explained these numbers could rise and fall throughout the day as winds continue throughout the region and new outage situations are identified or reported.
 
Service Area
Ashland/Cannonsburg, 4,800
Hazard, 11,700
Paintsville, 3,800
Pikeville, 10,200
South Williamson, 2,400
Whitesburg, 2,100
Total 35,000
 
Customers and media representatives can track the number of outages in their area by going to www.kentuckypower.com and clicking on "storm & outage center" then "see current outages." The site provides a customer outage count by county.
 
Kentucky Power is an operating unit of American Electric Power and provides electricity to approximately 175,000 customers in all or parts of 20 Eastern Kentucky counties.
 
American Electric Power is one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity to more than 5 million customers in 11 states. AEP ranks among the nation’s largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S. AEP also owns the nation’s largest electricity transmission system, a nearly 39,000-mile network that includes more 765 kilovolt extra-high voltage transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined. AEP’s transmission system directly or indirectly serves about 10 percent of the electricity demand in the Eastern Interconnection, the interconnected transmission system that covers 38 eastern and central U.S. states and eastern Canada, and approximately 11 percent of the electricity demand in ERCOT, the transmission system that covers much of Texas. AEP’s utility units operate as AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana and east Texas). AEP’s headquarters are in Columbus, Ohio.
 
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