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Investing in stronger reliability for our communities
Building on a legacy of dependable service with upgrades that make our energy grid stronger and more resilient.
Our commitment to reliability
Customers and communities depend on us every day for safe, reliable energy. At LG&E and KU, we take that responsibility seriously — and we plan and invest with the long term in mind.
Over the past several years, we have responsibly invested hundreds of millions of dollars across our electric and natural gas systems to modernize equipment, strengthen infrastructure, and improve how quickly we can respond when outages occur.
These improvements build on decades of dependable service and are helping prepare the system for more frequent and severe weather — while keeping service affordable for the customers we proudly serve.
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How we’re building a smarter, stronger grid
Think of your home’s electrical wiring like the veins and arteries of your house. Just as your body depends on healthy circulation, your home depends on a well-maintained energy system to keep appliances running, food cold, and families comfortable — no matter the weather outside.
On a much larger scale, LG&E and KU maintain a complex network of generating stations, natural gas compressor stations, substations, power and gas lines, transformers, and related equipment. Our employees perform daily maintenance while also investing in long-term upgrades to keep this system operating safely and reliably.
We’re taking action by:
Rebuilding and strengthening poles, lines, and substations
Upgrading electric and natural gas infrastructure
Installing smart and automated equipment that can detect and restore outages faster
Providing customers with more tools to get information quickly — including our mobile app, outage map, and proactive notifications — so they can stay informed when they need it most
Together, these improvements strengthen the grid, speed restoration, and give customers speedy access to information during outages
Distribution System Hardening and Resiliency Program (DSHARP)
DSHARP is a targeted, long-term effort focused on strengthening local electric infrastructure where customers are most directly impacted by storms.
Through this program, we are:
Replacing older poles and equipment with stronger materials
Rebuilding sections of power lines to modern construction standards
Improving structure design to reduce storm-related damage
Through DSHARP alone, we are investing approximately $445 million through 2029 to harden the distribution system and reduce the likelihood of storm-related outages in vulnerable areas of the grid.
These targeted upgrades help protect neighborhoods, reduce future restoration times, and improve reliability where customers experience it most directly.
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Vegetation management
Trees growing near power lines are one of the leading causes of power outages. Managing vegetation is an essential part of keeping service reliable and communities safe. In addition to our day-to-day efforts, we've begun a targeted, data-driven approach to vegetation management to further improve reliability.
Our collective efforts include:
Active maintenance across nearly 18,000 miles of distribution lines and 5,400 miles of transmission lines
Targeted work in high-risk areas and fast-growing species
Coordination with communities to support long-term tree health and proper placement
These efforts reduce the likelihood of outages, protect equipment, and help prevent safety hazards during storms.
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Benefits of our improvements
Over the last several years, we have:
Reduced the frequency of power outages by about 40%
Reduced the time customers are without power by about 30%
These improvements reflect years of investment in automation, equipment upgrades, and smarter system design. Now, we’re building on that progress with even more targeted efforts to strengthen the grid and improve resilience.
Our ongoing and planned investments include:
A $445 million investment in DSHARP through 2029 to strengthen neighborhood power lines and equipment
Hardening hundreds of substations with modern automation and technology upgrades
Substations serve as the central connection point between high-voltage transmission lines and the local lines that deliver power to homes and businesses
These upgrades are already preventing thousands of customer interruptions each year, with benefits expected to grow over time.
Our energy grid is already strong — and it’s getting even stronger
Modeling shows that our planned investments in hardening, automation, and resilience will reduce total outage minutes by nearly 40% over a rolling 10-year period — meaning fewer disruptions and more comfort and safety for customers.
Altogether, the value of avoided storm damage and outage impacts is projected at more than $300 million per year in saved costs and improved service for customers and communities.
What it means for our communities
Reliable energy supports everyday life, public safety, and economic growth. Stronger infrastructure helps keep communities connected during extreme temperatures, supports hospitals and emergency services, and provides the dependable power businesses need to grow.
As Kentucky continues to develop and weather becomes more unpredictable, we are investing today to ensure the system is ready for the future — delivering safe, reliable, and affordable energy for decades to come.
Learn more about how we’re investing in safe, reliable and affordable service while meeting growing energy demands in the communities we’re proud to serve.