While rolling blackouts continue to be the new buzzword for west Kentucky, there’s a reason why they’re occurring.
During his Saturday morning briefing, Gov. Andy Beshear noted that as of 9 AM today, more than 43,000 Kentuckians were without power and up against this winter weather.
It’s a unique combination of factors, too. Extreme temperatures create higher climate control demand. Asking citizens to stay off treacherous roads keeps people at home. A lack of a diversified energy plan, both at the micro and macro levels, also has its role.
And Beshear noted that it’s not been this consistently cold in the Commonwealth since the late 1980s, as frigid arctic temperatures span from Fulton to Pike counties.
Per officials with Hopkinsville Electric and Pennyrile Rural Electric, the Tennessee Valley Authority lifted its planned outages as of 10:30 AM.
However, according to multiple Nashville sources, the city’s Mayor John Cooper besought the NFL’s Tennessee Titans to delay their noon kickoff against the Houston Texans — in hopes of easing electricity strain in the valley during the midday.
The league acquiesced, and kickoff was delayed to 1 PM central.
Temperatures in Kentucky don’t improve much until Christmas morning, and Secretary of Transportation Jim Gray said travel conditions are still rather unfit in most areas — especially north of Louisville along I-71.
Road treatments have somewhat worked across the state, but it’s worth reminding that most brines and salts lose effectiveness below 20 degrees — and they lose even more below 10 degrees and sub-zero wind chills.
Gray said the state’s focus has been the integrity of interstates and parkways, for key reasons.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet in Districts 1 & 2 remain hard at work this holiday season.
