Doing a staycation for fall break? Be productive and get your home prepared for winter weather with these five jobs:

1. Caulk windows and doors, even if you did it last fall. Cracks in old caulk can let cold air in and warm air out.

2. Reverse the direction of ceiling fan blades so they circulate clockwise.

3. Get your chimney inspected and cleaned if you plan to burn wood this season. Buildup of creosote can cause a chimney fire.

4. Call an HVAC tech to inspect your central heating system, perform maintenance and do any needed repairs so you don’t lose heat once it gets cold.

5. Change the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors before heating season begins.

October is National Co-op Month

October is National Co-op Month, and Kenergy is joining cooperatives across the U.S. to celebrate. Co-ops come in all shapes and sizes, but they each have a common goal: to provide goods or services for the members of the co-op.

Electric co-ops, including Kenergy, exist to serve their members. Our priority is to provide affordable, reliable energy to our local communities. Because we are led by you, the members we serve, we can evolve to meet your needs. We heard the need from our members for high-speed, reliable internet in our rural communities and we worked to get laws changed and partnered with Conexon Connect to bring that to our service territory. We excited about the incredible progress the buildout has already made.

This October, as we celebrate Co-op Month, we’re focusing on the ways “Co-ops Grow” for their members.

Co-ops Grow Communities: Co-ops help communities grow by promoting economic empowerment, fostering community engagement and supporting the unique needs of co-op members. “Concern for Community” is one of our core principles––and being community-focused is essential to everything we do.

Co-ops Grow Together: Co-ops are all about cooperation, not competition. That’s why electric co-ops work together to share lessons learned, successful strategies and better ways to serve our members. We’re better when we grow together!

Co-ops Grow Tomorrow’s Leaders: Electric co-ops serve as fertile ground for growing tomorrow’s leaders through a variety of youth engagement programs. Whether through school demonstrations, community events or the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour program, we’re committed to providing opportunities for local youth to learn and thrive in our community and beyond.

Co-ops Grow for You: At Kenergy, your satisfaction is our number one goal. It’s why we were formed many years ago to fulfill a uniquely local purpose. We’ve come a long way since then, and your needs continue to evolve. That’s why we’ll never stop growing for you!

All Kenergy offices will be closed Tuesday, October 3rd for an employee training.

As always, you can drop payments at our office drop boxes, make payments on our SmartHub mobile app, or by accessing your account 24/7.

Kenergy Corp., 6402 Old Corydon Road, Henderson, KY 42420, will file an application for an adjustment in existing rates on or around October 2, 2023 with the Kentucky Public Service Commission ("KPSC") in Case No. 2023-00276. The proposed changes are designed to increase revenues $4,876,566 and are proposed to be effective on November 2, 2023.

To view the full public notice, please click HERE.

To view the full case file on the KPSC website, please click HERE.

Kenergy members can help protect the power grid by incorporating energy-saving tips during extended heat waves. This week’s near-100-degree temperatures will strain this region’s power grid, particularly as the heat in Kentucky and the Midwest continues to rise on Thursday, August 24^th.

The power you use at your home or business is generated and delivered at the time you use it. When electricity usage spikes regionally during extreme weather, the risk that there may not be enough power for everyone increases.

While there is currently no energy shortage emergency, members can take steps to cut their electricity usage and save money during the hottest afternoon hours, Wednesday, August 23^rd through Friday, August 25^th.

Tips to conserve energy include:

• Raise your thermostat by a couple of degrees and use fans to help maintain comfort.
• Keep windows and doors tight to preserve air conditioning in your home.
• Use shades and curtains to block sunlight and keep your home cool.
• Reduce the use of large home appliances during the hottest hours. For example, run full loads in the washing machine and dishwasher later at night.
• Choose cooking methods that limit an increase in heat in your home.
• Avoid charging your electric vehicle during the hottest parts of the day.
• Unplug appliances when not in use.

Stay up-to-date on changing conditions by following our website and social media channels. If an electricity shortage were to occur, members could be asked to conserve energy immediately. Quickly following alerts and cutting electricity use could prevent the need for temporary power outages.

In the 1930’s the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) was formed to help communities form electric cooperatives to build electric infrastructure to the rural areas that went unserved due to the lack of profitability and substantial risk for traditional utilities of the day. REA provided government backed loans to these cooperatives to build the necessary infrastructure. Because of this successful program, electric cooperatives continue to thrive today. Electric co-ops operate without motive for profit, they are owned and governed by the members they serve, and they continue to have access to these same loans.

Today, REA is now a department of the United States Department of Agriculture called the Rural Utilities Service (USDA-RUS).  Kenergy continues to borrow from the USDA-RUS to help improve and replace infrastructure and most recently, to install the fiber infrastructure needed to serve rural western Kentucky. Last week, Kenergy invited USDA-RUS Administrator Andy Berke and Assistant Administrator Chris McLean to Kentucky to visit about their new programs to help us continue to improve service to our members.

A random computerized drawing of 251 applicants was held July 5th for three (3) $1,000 scholarships and twenty-four (24) $500 scholarships. Scholarships can be used for tuition, fees, campus housing, textbooks, computers, school supplies, and other costs directly related to the recipient's education.

Congratulations to this year's winners!

$1,000 Winners

Logan Bell

Nick O'Bryan

Jackson Loucks

$500 Winners

Abigail Payne

Alicia Curtis

Lakota Wilson

Andrew Collins

Nathan Dailey

Megan LaClair

Kayley Payne

Kayla Wayne

Allison Porter

Savannah French

Jessie Daniels

Brooke Stanley

Jason Stilwell

Michael Brayden McGraw

Hayden Cash

Ethan Higdon

Randi Porter

Timothy Thomas

Emily Murphy

Hunter Hagan

Lola Morris

Madison Medley

Gavin Peek

Cadence Keister

By: Tim Lindahl, Kenergy President and CEO

The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a hidden gem in the midst of the vast span of land we call the United States. When I was young, we would drive through the Commonwealth to see relatives, and later our family would spend a couple of our vacations here, taking in the beauty of both the landscape and the people. I was elated when I was presented with the opportunity to join the communities of western Kentucky by serving at your electric cooperative.

When our family was looking for a new home, we really wanted to be in a rural setting, but it was critical that we have broadband so our family would be able to properly conduct our vocations.  We had several reasons for choosing the home we did, but an item that tipped the scales was seeing Kenergy’s fiber being installed up the road. We knew it would only be a brief time with miserable internet and that we would have the greatest broadband in a few short months. The value of that home went up for us at that point.

There are many critical parts that make up a successful rural economy.  Two of the most critical are energy and communication.  Having the opportunity to be a part of a member owned and governed organization allows each of us to have a voice in providing these two necessities to enhance our modern life.  In the 1930’s, electricity was a far-off dream for folks in rural areas.  Communities came together in cooperative spirit and solved this hardship. Electric cooperatives have been successful in maintaining a system that others thought would never be possible.  We fast forward nearly 90 years and we have a similar situation with the internet.  There are pockets of good broadband in rural areas, but the vast majority of these rural areas go unserved or significantly underserved, which has created a digital poverty.

Energy policy in America is swiftly changing, requiring innovative solutions to keep the lights on and the electricity affordable.  By building a fiber optic network throughout our service territory, we will be not only solving the digital poverty issue, but will have the foundation in place to help make our electric grid “smarter” while being able to manage this changing landscape.  All of this while improving the value of the energy that is provided to you. 

Utilizing the new fiber infrastructure for both of these large initiatives will allow us to get the best return for every dollar invested into the system.  I am proud to be a part of the Kenergy team to work towards solving this digital divide and managing this energy change in a cooperative way.

Though it will take us a little while to get to everyone, we are on pace to be one of the fastest fiber builds in history so that we can get fiber-based broadband to everyone in the shortest amount of time.  This also gives us the advantage to more quickly develop the tools needed to manage the changing energy landscape and keep our electricity safe, reliable, and affordable.

We appreciate your patience as we continue our buildout with this project and share in your enthusiasm to finally bring high-speed internet to you, our members.