FRANKFORT -- A severe storm on the first official day of summer passed through Kentucky Power’s service area late this afternoon leading to power outages for approximately 13,800 customers.   The storm caused extensive damage to power equipment as high winds, heavy rains and lightning brought down trees, tree limbs and damaged numerous utility poles and power lines.           
 
Kentucky Power crews are working to assess damage and make repairs to electrical circuits in an effort to return customers to service as safely and quickly as possible.  Kentucky Power estimates it could be as late as midnight, Wednesday, before every customer is returned to service. The company points out that the vast majority of customers will be returned to service well before that time, however.
 
Company officials caution eastern Kentucky residents to never approach downed power lines or wires of any type.  No mater 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 9 p.m. today, the following outage numbers were estimated by the company.  Officials explained these numbers can rise and fall throughout the night as new outage situations are identified and/or addressed.
 
 
Service Area             Customers     Preliminary Restoration Estimate
Ashland.............................. 488            for all customers, Midnight, Tuesday, 6/22
Hazard............................. 1,772            for all customers, Midnight, Wednesday, 6/23
Paintsville........................... 203            for all customers, 6 PM, Tuesday, 6/22   
Pikeville........................... 1,614            for all customers, Midnight, Wednesday, 6/23                 
South Williamson.............. 2,384            for all customers, Midnight, Wednesday 6/23
Whitesburg......................... 674            for all customers, Midnight, Wednesday 6/23
Total................................ 7,135
           
            PLEASE NOTE: 
 
            Customers and media representatives can track information about this storm and KentuckyPower’s efforts to restore power by going to www.kentuckypower.com and clicking on theJune 21 Storm - Kentucky Powerbox. The site provides additional storm related information including a map of outages cases by county. It will be updated regularly throughout the storm.
 
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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