Kentucky Power continues to make progress on its 2026 reliability improvement plan, with crews exceeding several annual equipment upgrade targets while completing extensive work to manage trees and vegetation near power lines.
As of mid-October, crews have completed nearly 1,150 miles of vegetation management work and removed more than 20,000 hazard trees across the company’s service territory. The work helps reduce the risk of trees and limbs damaging power lines, particularly during severe weather.
Substation upgrades in Breathitt County.
“Improving reliability is our highest priority because we know how much our customers depend on us,” said Michele Ross, Kentucky Power vice president of operations. “All year we make targeted improvements across our system to help prevent outages where possible and restore service more efficiently when they occur.”
Strengthening the Grid in Eastern Kentucky
Crews have made significant progress on project goals, including replacing aging equipment and installing devices designed to improve the performance of the electric system.
As of October, crews have:
• Replaced 1,065 electrical cutouts, exceeding the target of 900.
• Addressed 935 unfused taps, exceeding the target of 850.
• Installed 168 additional switches, exceeding the target of 100.
• Proactively identified and replaced 425 utility poles across the service area to address aging equipment and strengthen the system.
• Completed work on 90 reclosers, devices that can help automatically restore power following certain temporary interruptions.
These improvements serve different purposes but share a common goal: reducing the frequency and duration of power outages.
Replacing aging poles and electrical equipment helps prevent equipment-related failures. Additional switches give crews greater flexibility to isolate damaged sections of power lines and restore service to customers who can safely receive power without waiting for all repairs to be completed.
Reclosers can detect certain electrical faults and automatically restore service when conditions allow, reducing the need for crews to respond to some temporary interruptions.
Managing Trees to Help Prevent Outages
Trees and vegetation remain a significant threat to electric reliability, especially in eastern Kentucky’s mountainous terrain.
Kentucky Power’s vegetation management program focuses on clearing vegetation near power lines and identifying hazardous trees that could damage electrical equipment.
Crews work every day to strengthen the electric system across eastern Kentucky.This year, crews have removed more than 20,000 hazard trees and completed 1,150 miles of vegetation management work.
This work helps reduce the likelihood of trees and limbs contacting power lines during storms, high winds and other adverse weather conditions.
Building on progress
Kentucky Power will continue its reliability improvement work through the remainder of year, including additional pole replacements, equipment upgrades and vegetation management.
While severe weather, falling trees and other unexpected events can still interrupt electric service, these investments are designed to strengthen the system and help crews respond more effectively when outages occur.
“Our crews have made significant progress this year. We’ve already seen results of this work in outages reported and the ability to restore outages faster,” Ross said. “Now, we’ve got our sights focused on goals for 2027 and planning the ways we will continue to strengthen and maintain the electric system to deliver safe and reliable power for our customers.”