How utility companies in Kentucky are preparing for Helene

(WKYT) – Hurricane Helene will be making landfall in Florida on Thursday night. This storm will have impacts very far inland and effect a lot of people. This creates big plans in terms of response.

“We are following the track of Helene as it comes into Kentucky. Number one, our co-ops are paying attention for purposes of being able to restore power to co-ops back here at home and so those crews are having briefings, they always stayed geared up for any emergency,” said Joe Arnold of Kentucky Electric Cooperative.

While many co-ops are staying in Kentucky to monitor the situation, Arnold says seven different co-ops are heading south to assist elsewhere.

“Our co-ops in Kentucky have been paired up with co-ops in Georgia. So we have co-ops that are currently on the way or leaving soon to go to Georgia and there are other co-ops who are after the weather moves into here, and they are able to see and make sure they have enough crews to take care of things here, they will also probably send crews down,” Arnold said.

With wind gusts over 50 mph possible in our area, there needs to be enough people ready here for power outages. Kentucky Utilities, as of now, are staying local.

“We are keeping our folks here. We have to keep our customers here in Kentucky as a top priority,” said Daniel Lowry of Kentucky Utilities.

Lowry says there’s only so much that can be done to limit power outages here.

“Our system is designed to withstand extreme conditions, but trees often aren’t. So they will fly into our lines. We’ll get limbs in there that create problems,” said Lowry.

With the heavy rainfall that comes with Helene, saturated ground will make it easier for trees to come down and cause power outages.

Copyright 2024 WKYT. All rights reserved.