LG&E and KU Invest in System Hardening to Prepare for Extreme Weather

Kentucky residents have seen an alarming increase in extreme weather events over the past few years, with the state experiencing up to three quarters of an inch of ice, 14 inches of snow, and over 30 reported tornadoes in 2025 alone. As a result, utility providers like Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company are prioritizing system hardening to withstand the effects of stronger and more frequent storms. Despite a 40% reduction in power outage frequency and a 30% reduction in outage duration, LG&E and KU continue to invest in upgrades to their transmission and distribution systems, including replacing aging wooden poles with steel structures, upgrading substations, and installing advanced technologies to identify and prevent outages.

Key Takeaways:

• LG&E and KU have achieved a 40% reduction in power outage frequency and a 30% reduction in outage duration through their ongoing system investments.
• The utilities are upgrading their transmission and distribution systems by replacing aging wooden poles with steel structures that offer greater strength and durability against wind and ice.
• Substations, some of which are nearly 100 years old, will require upgrades to maintain or improve system performance.
• LG&E and KU are implementing advanced technologies to identify and prevent outages, including real-time monitoring and automated systems.
• The utilities are also upgrading information technology systems and improving customer billing processes to provide better service to their customers.
• Customers have collectively experienced 150,000 fewer power outages each year since 2017, preventing 27.7 million outage minutes in total.

Statistics:

• 55% of wooden transmission poles are more than 60 years old and in need of replacement with steel structures.
• 150,000 fewer power outages experienced by customers each year since 2017, preventing 27.7 million outage minutes in total.
• Historic flooding on the Ohio River in 1997 poses a significant risk to system reliability.
• 14 inches of snow and up to three quarters of an inch of ice were reported in Kentucky in 2025, underscoring the need for system hardening.

Sources:

• LG&E and KU news release, no date provided.
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, no date provided.
• Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company, "System Enhancement Plans", no date provided.