LG&E and KU receive international recognition for emergency response efforts

(LOUISVILLE, Ky.) - Louisville Gas & Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company were announced as an Edison Electric Institute (EEI) Emergency Response Award recipient, achieving two awards for their restoration response during the 2024 Memorial Day Weekend storms and mutual support provided to CenterPoint Energy last May and following Hurricane Beryl.

Presented to EEI member companies twice a year, the Emergency Response Awards recognize recovery and assistance efforts of electric companies following service disruptions caused by extreme weather or other natural events. The winners were chosen by a panel of judges following an international nomination process, and the awards were presented during EEI's winter Board of Directors and CEO meeting this month.

"We're honored Edison Electric Institute is recognizing our utilities' restoration efforts following the widespread destruction caused by the Memorial Day Weekend storms," said John Crockett, president of LG&E and KU Energy. "This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our employees, both in the field and behind the scenes, and business partners who together helped safely restore power for our impacted customers."

The Memorial Day weekend storms brought hurricane-force winds and tornadoes to the LG&E and KU service area and impacted more than 200,000 customers, downed more than 2,000 power lines, broke more than 275 utility poles, and, tragically, took the lives of five Kentuckians. This was the fourth most impactful storm for the utilities over the last 20 years. The utilities were able to restore power for 75% of customers affected within the first 48 hours.

"Throughout 2024, America's electric companies and their dedicated workforce answered the call to help restore power and hope to communities impacted by extreme weather events and natural disasters," said EEI interim President and CEO Pat Vincent-Collawn. "EEI commends LG&E and KU for its efforts to respond safely and efficiently to the aftermath of the Memorial Day Weekend storms. We also applaud LG&E and KU for aiding neighboring electric companies in their times of need. LG&E and KU and its storm response team are extremely deserving of these well-earned emergency recovery and assistance awards."

During the Memorial Day Weekend storms, the utilities also activated their Public Safety Response Team to respond to reports of downed wires and ensure public safety. This team spent countless hours inspecting and assessing the system to make sure the more than 2,000 downed wire events were properly investigated.

"Working safely and protecting the public is our number one priority in every restoration event," said Crockett. "We take great pride in our team and their commitment to the safety and well-being of the customers and communities we serve."

LG&E and KU also were recognized for providing mutual assistance to CenterPoint Energy after a strong and destructive line of thunderstorms and tornadoes moved through the Houston, Texas area in May of last year. Less than eight weeks later, Hurricane Beryl made landfall in the Houston area. In total, LG&E and KU's mutual assistance teams spent 18 days assisting in the restoration efforts from both historic events.

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Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company, part of the PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) family of companies, are regulated utilities that serve more than 1.3 million customers and have consistently ranked among the best companies for customer service in the United States. LG&E serves 335,000 natural gas and 436,000 electric customers in Louisville and 16 surrounding counties. KU serves 545,000 customers in 77 Kentucky counties and 28,000 in five counties in Virginia. More information is available at www.lge-ku.com and www.pplweb.com.

EEI is the association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies. Our members provide electricity for nearly 250 million Americans, and operate in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The electric power industry supports more than 7 million jobs in communities across the United States. In addition to our U.S. members, EEI has more than 70 international electric companies, with operations in more than 90 countries, as International Members, and hundreds of industry suppliers and related organizations as Associate Members.