"We do anticipate and expect power outages," Kentucky Utilities' Daniel Lowry said during a Friday winter weather press conference.
We anticipate this storm to be worse than that storm last year.Daniel Lowry, Kentucky Utilities
Lowry cautioned customers that not only are outages likely, they could surpass those seen during last January's bout of winter weather, which left roughly 65,000 KU and LG&E customers in the dark.
"We were able to get about 99% of those customers back within two days, but we anticipate this storm to be worse than that storm last year," he added.
As for power interruptions outside homes and businesses, Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers says the department's traffic section will have officers dedicated to keeping the flow of vehicles moving. Though the hope is that most people heed the strong warnings of local officials and stay off the roads entirely.
"They will have specialized traffic control equipment ready in the event that power outages impact traffic signals at major intersections," Weathers said.
But for people stuck at home during an outage, Lowry says those with charged phones or access to the internet can find outage maps at KU's website and through the utility's mobile app. One warning: getting a good grip on restoration estimates takes time.
"It may take a day or more to get those times established because we are very diligent to make those times as accurate as possible," Lowry explained. "We want to tell you when we expect to have your power restored accurately."
Lowry said those estimates are based on the amount and kind of damage involved, the equipment needed, and historical data.