PSC settles case over Licking Valley RECC power outage

The state Public Service Commission announced Wednesday it has closed its case against Licking Valley Rural Electric Cooperative for not reporting power outages.

The PSC, which regulates utilities, cited the cooperative in July, noting it did not disclose major power outages in December. The utility, based in West Liberty, replied quickly with a revised plan for responding to emergencies and took steps to ensure future outages are disclosed, according to a PSC statement.

In an order filed Wednesday, the commission accepted a settlement negotiated by the PSC's staff and the utility. The settlement did not include a fine, according to a statement.

"The commission has taken into consideration the comprehensive nature of the (settlement) and Licking Valley's willingness to revise its emergency restoration procedures and cooperation to achieve a resolution of this proceeding," the PSC said in the order. "The commission notes that proper outage-reporting protocol should be an essential part of a utility's comprehensive emergency and restoration plan."

The utility's outage caused 9,000 customers, more than half, to lose power in Eastern Kentucky.

Kentucky regulations require electric companies to report outages that last longer than four hours and affect more than 500 customers. The commission is to be notified within two hours of outages reaching that level.

Licking Valley personnel did not report the outage until contacted by PSC staff a few days after the storm, according to a news release.

The utility's failure to report the outages came a month after the PSC issued its "Ike and Ice" report on massive outages in 2008 and 2009 because of Hurricane Ike and an ice storm. The report emphasized that timely updates on outages were essential for disaster response.

This story was originally published October 21, 2010 at 12:00 AM with the headline "PSC settles case over Licking Valley RECC power outage."