Use Caution if using Generators, Heaters Due to Winter Storm Power Outages

Posted by on Dec 15, 2010

With the first serious winter storm of the season expected to hit Kentucky tonight, the Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC) is urging residents to exercise caution in the event their electric service is interrupted.
The National Weather Service (NWS) is forecasting that a mixture of snow, sleet and freezing rain will move into Kentucky later today. Some areas of Kentucky might see ice accumulations of as much as half an inch, forecasters say.
That much ice can break weak tree limbs and bring them down on power lines. Some scattered power outages are possible, the PSC said.
Customers who lose power should follow proper safety precautions if they use portable generators or heating appliances, PSC Chairman David Armstrong said.
“As we learned during the record-breaking ice storm in 2009, improper use of portable generators and heaters can be extremely dangerous,” Armstrong said. “Many Kentuckians lost their lives, and many more were hospitalized, as the result of being poisoned by carbon monoxide emitted by portable generators that were not used correctly.”

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