Published: September 15, 2008 04:40 pm      

Ike wreaks havoc in Louisville, western Kentucky

Governor declares emergency as 550,000 without power

FRANKFORT — More than half a million utility customers were without power in Kentucky when they awoke Monday – more than at any one time ever – and some of them might have to wait two weeks for it to be restored.

The damage resulted from high winds – the remnants of Hurricane Ike – which reached 75 miles per hour or more in Louisville where about 300,000 customers were without power. In northern Kentucky, thousands more – Duke Energy estimated 90 percent of its customers – were without power and 9,000 lost power in Owensboro. Most of the damage occurred in Louisville, northern Kentucky along the Ohio River and west of I-65.

The devastation prompted Gov. Steve Beshear to issue a state of emergency for the entire state. He said during a morning press conference in Louisville with Metro Mayor Jerry Abramson that 60 of Kentucky’s 120 counties reported damage from the storm. In all, Beshear estimated 550,000 people were without power.

“We will be calculating those damages for some time,” Beshear said.

The storm caused one death – a 10-year-old Shelby County boy. Frederick Wilson was struck in the head by a falling limb from a tree in his family’s yard.

Beshear said more than 3,000 power lines were down and Louisville Gas and Electric officials said it could take up to 10 to 14 days for all LG&E customers’ power to be restored. The effort will be slowed until some 250 or so contractors return tonight from the Gulf Coast where they’d been sent to help in the aftermath of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

The state of emergency allows Beshear authorization to mobilize the National Guard, fund exceptional needs or unbudgeted expenses in the response and clean-up and to request federal aid. So far, no National Guard troops have been called out, Beshear said.

Louisville Police Chief Robert White said “some burglaries were reported along the Broadway (Street) area,” but there has not been an upsurge in burglaries or vandalism. He said about 1,000 traffic lights were out of order as of 10 a.m. Monday.

“Be patient, use common sense, be courteous and treat those like four-way stops,” White advised.

Both Beshear and Abramson said the storm damage will not disrupt the Ryder Cub golf event scheduled for Valhalla Country Club in Jefferson County this week. Practice rounds are to begin today. While there was some damage at the course, including a few downed trees on the course, officials there said they expected to have it in order by this morning.

Jefferson County Public Schools were closed Monday as more than 100 schools were without power. School officials met Monday to determine when they might reopen. And as of the 10 a.m. press conference, Abramson said power had been restored to all hospitals in the county.

LG&E’s Chris Herman said more than 300,000 customers were without power at the peak of the storm, but that number was reduced by several thousand by mid-day Monday. Still, 130 to 140 utility poles were down or broken and 33 percent of the utility’s system was off line Monday morning and 65 of its 96 substations had some type of power problem.

He said between 450 and 500 workers were trying to restore power and that number would grow as crews sent to the Gulf returned Monday night. But the city does not expect help from other communities, because those too are responding to damage. That’s why it may take up to two weeks to restore all customers.

Abramson said the American Red Cross had opened no pubic shelters but is prepared to do so if the need arises. However, with the mild temperatures which followed the wind storm, most people won’t need to seek shelter. He said the city’s drinking water remained safe.

Officials said they were unaware of gas supply disruptions but many retail stations couldn’t pump gas because they were without electricity.

“It has nothing to do with the gas supply,” Abramson said. “It has to do with electricity.”

The strong winds downed power lines, utility poles, ripped up roofs and even toppled a semi-tractor on one of the bridges across the Ohio River. Many were unable to get to work – or even out of their neighborhoods as trees blocked roadways.

Herman said LG&E will work around the clock to restore power, moving on a priority system which places medical facilities, public protection agencies such as fire and police and schools at the head of the line. He said crews will work to restore power systems first which will bring on line the greatest number of customers.

And he warned that it won’t be unusual for some streets to see power restored on one side while homes on the other remain without power because they are served by separate substations.

RONNIE ELLIS writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. He can be reached by e-mail at rellis@cnhi.com.