When planning home improvement projects—especially those that involve electrical work—do you know when to DIY and when to hire a professional?
Homeowners wanting to do it themselves can tackle many types of projects, but when safety becomes an issue, seek a professional with appropriate training, equipment and insurance. Painting a bedroom may be an easy weekend project, for example, but climbing a tall ladder for an exterior paint job can be a safety risk.
To avoid electrocution and fires, most electrical work should be left to professional licensed electricians. Home rewiring, breaker box replacement and adding a large number of electrical outlets are among tasks you should consider leaving for the pros. Faulty electrical installations can lead to substantial additional expenses and even injuries or death.
If you’re doing work yourself with power tools, be careful. Annually, 8% of electrocutions in the U.S. are attributed to improper use of power tools. The Electrical Safety Foundation International offers the following safety tips:
Use ground fault circuit interrupters, or GFCIs, with every power tool to protect against electrical shock.
Never use power tools near live electrical wires or water pipes.
Use extreme caution when cutting or drilling into walls where electrical wires or water pipes could be accidentally touched or penetrated.
Do not use power tools without the proper guards.
If your home improvement includes additional living space and/or added outlets, make sure your home electrical panel and service can handle the added load. Make sure all electrical work is done by a certified, licensed electrician and that local permits, if needed, are secured.
Call 811 several days in advance if any digging is part of the project so the appropriate utilities serving your area can determine if they have buried lines of service in the scope of your project and mark where those are located.
Whether your home improvement is being done by yourself or a contractor, contact your electric utility ahead of time if your meter must be removed or relocated to accommodate additions or renovations (such as home additions, fences, decks or patios) to your property. In almost all areas, it is illegal for a homeowner to break the seal on a utility meter or pull or set a meter. Aside from being dangerous without protective gear, there could be fines involved if you don’t call the utility first to explain the situation.
Remember, you should only tackle DIY home projects within your skill and comfort level. For projects that require extensive electrical work, we strongly recommend you hire a licensed, qualified electrician for assistance.
Trees and Powerlines: Striking the Right Balance
As we head into spring, many of us are excited about beautifying our properties with new landscaping. At Kenergy, we understand the essential role that trees play in our environment and community. They provide shade, beauty, and cleaner air—but when it comes to planting near power lines, safety must always be a top priority.
Trees that grow too close to power lines can lead to serious hazards. In addition to the obvious risk of power outages, overgrown branches can pose significant dangers. They create potential shock and fire hazards for not just the utility lines, but also for those working around them. One of the most concerning risks is for children who might unknowingly climb trees that have grown too close to power lines, putting them at great risk of electric shock.
If you're thinking about trimming trees or planting new ones and have concerns about proximity to power lines, we encourage you to take action. If you hire a professional for tree maintenance, please call Kenergy at 800-844-4832 to arrange an inspection to ensure your property is safe.
The key to a safe, beautiful landscape is planting the right tree in the right place. As you begin your landscaping this spring, here are some essential tips to keep in mind:
Cooperate with Kenergy: Help us maintain easement areas by planting trees a safe distance from power lines.
Know the size of the tree: Be aware of how large your tree will grow at maturity. Understanding the tree's spread and height will help you select the right tree for the right space.
Get expert advice: For specific tree size information, visit ArborDay.org, your local cooperative extension office, or a nearby nursery.
Avoid planting too close to power lines: Never plant trees or vegetation under or near power lines or poles.
Report potential risks: If you spot any trees that could threaten our service lines, please notify us.
Call before digging: Remember to call 811 before planting or digging to ensure you're not disrupting any underground utilities.
Together, we can ensure that trees and power lines can safely coexist. By planning ahead and planting thoughtfully, we all contribute to a safer and more beautiful community. Thank you for your ongoing partnership in helping Kenergy keep our electric service reliable and safe.
Job Opening: Member Service Representative II
We are now accepting applications for Member Service Representative II in Henderson. Applications are being accepted now through April 17. View the job description and apply today!
Big Rivers Electric Appliance Saturation Survey Notice
Your electric cooperative will be conducting a survey to assess the changing dynamics of today’s energy consumer. The survey gathers information on your household’s use of energy so we can adequately prepare for the future energy demands of our membership.
A random sample of members will be selected to participate in the project. Your input is extremely important! Survey links will be emailed to members at the end of March and early April. If you receive a survey, please take a moment to complete it at your earliest convenience. Thank you for your time and efforts regarding this important project.
Job Opening: Apprentice Line Technician
Job Opening: Apprentice Line Technician
We are now accepting applications for Apprentice Line Technician (based in Owensboro). Applications are being accepted now through April 1st. View the job description and apply today!
Job Opening: Accountant
Job Opening: Accountant
We are now accepting applications for Accountant (based in Owensboro or Henderson). Applications are being accepted now through March 20th. View the job description and apply today!
How Extreme Winter Weather Impacts Reliability
When outdoor temperatures drop, our electricity use increases. That’s because we’re doing more activities inside, and our heating systems are running longer and more often to counteract colder outdoor temperatures. Factor in that we all tend to use electricity at the same times—in the morning and early evenings—and that equals a lot of strain on our electric grid.
At Kenergy, we work closely with our local generation and transmission (G&T) cooperative in resource and infrastructure planning to ensure you have the power you need whenever you flip a switch, but the electric grid is much larger than your local co-op and G&T.
Kenergy and our G&T (Big Rivers) take proactive steps to create a resilient portion of the grid and ensure electric reliability in extreme weather, including regular system maintenance, grid modernization efforts and disaster response planning; but it takes everyone to keep the grid reliable.
To help keep the heat on for you, your family and neighbors, here are a few things you can do to relieve pressure on the grid (and save a little money along the way):
*Select the lowest comfortable thermostat setting and turn it down several degrees whenever possible. Your heating system must run longer to make up the difference between the thermostat temp and the outdoor temp.
Pro tip: Seal air leaks around windows and exterior doors with caulk and weatherstripping. Air leaks and drafts force your heating system to work harder than necessary.
*Stagger your use of major appliances such as dishwashers, ovens and dryers.
Pro tip: Start the dishwasher before you go to bed and use smaller countertop appliances like slow cookers and air fryers to save energy.
*Ensure that your heating system is optimized for efficiency with regular maintenance and proper insulation.
Pro tip: Make sure your furnace filter isn’t clogged and dirty. Replace it as needed.
*When possible, use cold water to reduce water heating costs.
Pro tip: Setting your water heater thermostat to 120 degrees can help you save energy and reduce mineral buildup and corrosion in your water heater and pipes.
*Unplug devices when not in use to eliminate unnecessary energy use. Even when turned off, electronics in standby mode consume energy.
Pro tip: Plug devices into a power strip so you can turn them all off at once with the push of a button.
As we face the challenges posed by winter weather, understanding its impact on energy demand is crucial for maintaining a reliable power supply. By adopting energy conservation practices during periods of extreme cold, not only can you save money on your electric bills, but you can also each contribute to the resilience of the power grid, keeping our local community warm and connected.
2025 Washington Youth Tour Delegates Named
Congratulations to our 2025 Washington Youth Tour delegates! These three high school juniors will represent Kenergy on a trip to Frankfort in March and to Washington D.C. in June. They will meet fellow delegates from across Kentucky and the country.
Weston Spencer - Ohio County High School
Raynei Roy - Webster County High School
Aubrey Nies - Daviess County High School
Winter Storm Blair Updates
Update January 9 2:00pm - We currently have 678 members off with 48 outage locations. 49 broken poles have been located with crews working to get these replaced. Outage numbers may fluctuate as circuits are worked on, but we continue to chip away at the remaining homes still off. Thank you, again, for your patience.
Update January 9 7:00am - Outages stand at 639 members with 80 outage locations. Crews will continue work to get the remaining homes restored.
Always assume a downed power line is energized and dangerous. Do not go near it. Call us at 800-844-4832 to report downed lines, broken poles, or your outage.
If you’re still without power, please take a moment to ensure there are no repairs needed on your end that could delay restoration. If our outage map or outage text shows your outage to be resolved and you still don't have power, be sure to check your breakers. If all your breakers are okay, please notify us by calling 800-844-4832.
Update January 8 9:50pm - This will be our last update of the day.
Here’s a behind the scenes look at our Henderson office. These are all trucks that are working to get our remaining 665 members back on. We are diligently working on the last households affected by Winter Storm Blair.
Incredible progress has been made today and will continue overnight. Please keep our crews in your prayers as they work in single-digit temperatures.
Update January 8 3:00pm - Outages are down to 1,326 members. With 150 total outage locations, this means that many affect just a few homes each. Progress numbers will look a little slower because of this, but we promise we have not forgotten you. Crews are working tirelessly to get all members back on as safely and quickly as possible.
If you are still without power this afternoon, please make plans to be off overnight as well. If you need help finding a warming shelter, you can call Kentucky Emergency Management at 800-255-2587.
Update January 8 6:15am - Crews have worked overnight to get outages down to 1,700 members and 177 outage locations. The majority of these outages are in our hardest hit counties - Henderson and Union.
**Update 9:15pm - This will be our last update of the day.
You can see from these pictures a little portion of what our crews have encountered the last three days. They have worked tirelessly to get our outages down to 1,800. The work doesn’t let up though. We will continue working crews around the clock until every member is back on. Thank you for your continued patience.
Update January 7 5:00pm - Our crews have done incredible work with the assistance of mutual aid to get outage numbers down to 2,582. We continue to find more broken poles and many limbs on lines. These pictures were taken in Henderson County today.
Crews will continue to work around the clock until full restoration. We do not have estimated times of restoration at this time due to the number of outages (214 locations). If you are still out at this time, please prepare to be out overnight.
Continue to call in downed lines, broken poles, and report outages to 800-844-4832.
Update January 7 7:30am - Crews overnight have worked our outages down to 4,331 members off. Overnight progress is tough, especially in freezing temperatures.
Update January 6 5:30pm - Outage numbers have decreased to 5,855 members, with the majority of those in Henderson County.
If your power is still out, please plan to be out for the remainder of the night. If you need a place to stay, please contact your local emergency management for shelter options.
Crews will continue to work through the night to continue restoration efforts. We are also eager for mutual aid crews to arrive to assist in these efforts. We are grateful for their willingness to leave their families to get our members back on.
Update January 6 2:15pm - Crews are diligently working to get members back on. Our outage numbers have decreased to 6,300 members. Downed lines and tree limbs are the cause for a lot of our outages.
While we are making progress, we want members who are still without power (especially those who use medical devices, elderly, or homes with small children) to prepare to be off overnight.
We know extended outages are frustrating, but we appreciate your patience as ice, snow, and below freezing temperatures can make this a slow process.
Update January 6 11:00am - We have 8,659 members out right now.
As you can see from pictures, crews are encountering a lot of downed power lines and trees from the winter storm. We ask for patience as the sub-freezing temperatures are not ideal for restoration work, but our crews will continue work around the clock to get each member back on.
Please continue to call outages and downed power lines into us at 800-844-4832.
We understand that many members are having issues pulling up our outage map. We have over 300 outage locations, so static pictures of the map are not as helpful. Please continue to check this link and give it some time to load if it is lagging: http://stormcenter.kenergycorp.com/
Always assume a downed power line is energized and dangerous. Do not go near it. Call us at 800-844-4832 to report.
We cannot take outage reports on social media. Please call 800-844-4832 to report outages.
Eliminate unnecessary travel. Roads may be dangerous and workers will be out trying to repair electrical lines.
We currently have 7,819 members without power. Crews have been working throughout the night to assess damage and get power restored as quickly and safely as possible.
We will continue work changing poles and resolving outages until every member is back on. We know extended outages are frustrating, but we appreciate your patience as ice, snow, and below freezing temperatures can make this a slow process.
Update January 5 10:00pm - This will be our last update for the night.
7,872 members remain off. Our crews will work until power is restored, but we ask for your patience as many of these outages will take some time to fix. We will have another update tomorrow morning. Please continue to follow the safety prompts listed below.
We have Member Service Representatives answering phones. Please call 800-844-4832 to report outages, downed lines, and for assistance.
Update January 5 7:25pm - We have 8,425 members without power. The winter storm is continuing to work its way across our system.
If you are still without power at this time, please prepare to be without power for the rest of the night, especially if you have anyone elderly, small children, or those that require medical devices in your home.
Crews will continue work to assess damage and restore as much power as possible. We ask for your patience as this work can be a slow process. Please continue to follow the safety prompts listed below.
Update January 5 4:45pm - We have 8,330 members out across our service territory. With outages across our territory, we have pulled all available crews to work to restore outages.
We ask for patience as the storm is still expected to produce precipitation for another few hours.
We understand that some members are having issues acccessing our outage map. It appears this could be an external issue with cell towers and local internet.
Update January 5 3:20pm - A lot of our members are being affected by a Big Rivers Electric Corporation outage. Their crews are working to get the lockout resolved.
We are starting to experience outages on the western portion of our service territory. Crews will work to get power restored as quickly and safely as possible.
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All Kenergy Offices Closed January 1, 2025 for New Year’s Day
All Kenergy offices will be closed Wednesday, January 1, 2025 for New Year's Day. We hope you have a great holiday celebrating with family and friends.
As always, you can drop payments at our office nightly drop boxes, make payments on our SmartHub mobile app, or by accessing your account 24/7.
