A large storm packing extremely high winds crossed Kentucky Power’s Eastern Kentucky service area Friday morning causing more than 10,250 customers to lose power. The storm caused damage ranging from downed power lines to broken utility poles to downed trees and tree limbs across power lines.
 
Kentucky Power crews worked throughout the day to assess damage and return service to customers as safely and quickly as possible, although they said it may be as late as midnight before all customers are returned to service.
 
Company officials cautioned residents of Eastern Kentucky 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.

As of 2 p.m. Friday, the following outage numbers and anticipated restoration times were reported by the company. Company officials explained these numbers could rise and fall throughout the hours ahead as strong winds continue, outage situations are identified and customers are restored to service.
 
Service Area                 No. of  Customers          Est. Restoration
Ashland                           3,600                               Midnight Friday
Hazard                            829                                  Midnight Friday
Paintsville                        5                                       Midnight Friday
Pikeville                          629                                   Midnight Friday
South Williamson           1,671                                Midnight Friday
Whitesburg                     372                                   Midnight Friday
Total                              7,106
 
Customers and the media can keep track of outage numbers and estimated restoration times by visiting the Kentucky Power website at www.kentuckypower.com.
 
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 is the nation’s largest generator of electricity, owning more than 36,000 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 utility units operate as AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana and east Texas). American Electric Power, based in Columbus, Ohio, is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2006.
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