When customers flip a switch, they expect the lights to come on — and stay on. Behind the scenes, Kentucky Power’s engineering and operations teams are working every day to make that happen.
Distribution System Manager Phillip Tolliver said the company is taking a strategic, data-driven approach to strengthen the electric grid and improve reliability for customers across eastern Kentucky.
“We’re always looking for opportunities to improve reliability across our service area,” Tolliver said. “By focusing on the areas most affected by outages, we can be more deliberate with our resources and make the greatest impact for our customers.”
Pole Replacement
Every year, Kentucky Power develops plans and projects to storm-harden and modernize the electric grid. Proactive pole replacement is an ever-present reliability improvement tactic. Crews have inspected nearly 17,000 poles this year with about 4 percent of those having been identified as near the end of their lifecycle.
“Our crews have replaced 638 poles this year, averaging about three poles per day,” Tolliver said. “Each replacement is identified through detailed inspections by field technicians who assess the condition of poles and other equipment.”
Cutout Upgrades
Kentucky Power is also upgrading field equipment to better withstand Kentucky’s often extreme weather conditions. Crews are close to completing 900 planned cutout replacements to a new polymer model designed for durability and improved performance. Cutouts act like protective links between power lines and transformers, automatically disconnecting during faults to prevent larger outages and equipment damage.
Fuse Installations & Upgrades
Another important piece of the reliability improvement work plan is nearing completion with more than 400 fuses having been installed this year. Fuses isolate small sections of the grid when a problem occurs, reducing the number of customers affected and shortening restoration time.
An additional enhancement in reliability focuses on the installation, replacement and upgrading of reclosers—automated devices designed to identify and respond to temporary faults on power lines. Unlike traditional fuses, reclosers can automatically restore power within seconds after a brief interruption, eliminating the need for a crew to intervene. By the end of the year, crews are expected to complete the installation and upgrade of approximately 500 reclosers.
Switching Technology
Switching technology adds another layer of flexibility, Tolliver explained. Switching is one of the initial assessments conducted during an outage to determine the feasibility of rerouting affected customers to alternate energy sources to mitigate the outage's impact while repairs are made.
“Switching allows us to reconfigure circuits and isolate the fault so we can feed power to customers from a different source,” he said. “That means fewer people experience an outage and those who do are restored faster.”
Tree Trimming & Rights of Way Widening
Beyond equipment upgrades, Kentucky Power continues to strengthen reliability through vegetation management, such as trimming and removing trees that could threaten power lines during storms. Tree contact remains one of the leading causes of outages in Kentucky’s forested and mountainous terrain, making this work essential to long-term system health. Learn more about our forestry programs.
Other long-term projects on the list include major circuit rebuilds, designing and constructing alternative power sources and building new circuits. Another important part of the plan is the addition of Distribution Automation Circuit Reconfiguration (DACR), which is a technology that uses sensors and controls to automatically reroute power during an outage. DACR allows Kentucky Power to restore many customers remotely within minutes, often before crews even arrive on site.
“From replacing poles to integrating smart grid automation, our teams and crews work hard all year long to strengthen the grid,” Tolliver said. “We’re committed to providing reliable service for every customer, every day.”