$6 Million Announced for Power Systems

Four Nonprofit Public Power Utilities have received grant awards to ensure the electric grid meets its demands in times of crisis. 

Governor Andy Beshear announced the grant funding for the utilities during a weekly news conference, where he thanked all utility providers for their service getting power restored during recent severe weather.  

The awards announced include: 

$1.4 Million for Hopkinsville Electric System 

$1.7 Million for Princeton Electric Plant Board 

$1.6 Million for Owensboro Municipal Utilities 

$1.1 Million for Williamstown Utility Commission 

The Hopkinsville Electric grant will be used to detect outages in real-time and respond to customers more efficiently, as well as provide energy usage data that can help customers know more about their energy consumption, according to Beshear. 

The Princeton grant will fund a two-phase project to enhance the safety, reliability, and resilience of the grid in Caldwell County. The first phase will replace 61 wooden poles with more durable steel poles capable of withstanding 140 mph winds. They’ll also be replacing 30,000 linear feet of line with more resilient materials that will increase capacity and reduce power loss. The second phase includes the installation of 4,200 smart meters equipped with GPS and real-time alert systems. 

Owensboro Municipal Utilities will relocate a high-voltage transmission tower and move it further inland due to erosion along the Ohio River, where it now sits, using the grant. This tower supports over 16,000 residents and critical industry and infrastructure, like Owensboro Riverport and the airport, Beshear said.  

Williamstown Utility Commission is using its grant funding to replace over 21,000 feet of powerline, 150 poles, and update hardware within the system, providing more than 1,000 residents with more reliable power and quicker response time.