"While we quickly dispatch crews to make repairs," said Jackson Energy Director of Public Relations Karen Combs, "sometimes it may take several hours or even a day or more to repair service if the damage is widespread. We urge our members to take precautions for potential power outages when winter storms are possible."

Combs said members should have a supply of water and non-perishable food on hand, just in case the storm results in an extended power outage.

The co-op also recommends not opening the freezer compartment of the refrigerator, if possible, during the outage. Food that is frozen in the freezer will remain frozen for a longer period of time if the freezer door remains sealed.

Jackson Energy also has a restoration plan that targets getting power restored to as many members as possible, as quickly as possible. If your electric service comes from a smaller electric line that serves only a few or even one household, your service will be restored after power has been restored fo the main electric lines.

And most importantly, if you see a downed power line, report it to the cooperative and don't touch the power line. Downed power lines can still be carrying electricity and should be considered a hazard.

To report a downed power line, or an outage, call 1 800-262-7480.

It is charge to recover the cost of fuel to generate electricity.

• The Fuel Adjustment Charge (FAC) that appears on your bill represents the cost of the fuel for the power plants that generate your electricity. For the most part, it is the cost of coal, but it also can include the cost of natural gas and/or purchased power. Purchased power and gas-fueled power both tend to be significantly more expensive than coal-fueled power.

• The FAC is a pass-through expense. You local cooperative collects the FAC from its members and then passes all of that money on to its wholesale power supplier, East Kentucky Power Cooperative (EKPC). Your local cooperative does not keep any of the FAC that it collects.

• State government regulators (the Kentucky Public Service Commission) closely monitor the FAC charged by EKPC to your local cooperative to ensure that only proper expenses are included. Proper expenses include the cost of power plant fuel or purchased power.

• The market cost of coal, natural gas and purchased power may rise or fall.
• If EKPC has a coal-fired generating unit out of service for maintenance, then that power must be generated by an alternative source or purchased on the power market, both of which tend to be much more expensive.
• Even if all coal-fired generating units are operational, EKPC occasionally must operate natural gas-fueled units or purchase power from the market because power usage is so high. This tends to occur on days when it is very hot or very cold because homes and businesses are using more electricity for cooling and heating.

• The environmental surcharge that appears on your bill represents the cost of the equipment and other expenses that EKPC has invested in their power plants to meet federal environmental regulations related to the emissions generated by power plants.  For the most part, it includes the cost of scrubbers that remove emissions before they are released into the air. These regulations have become more stringent in recent years, resulting in the investment of millions of dollars in equipment at power plants.

• If EKPC must operate natural gas-fueled units or purchase power from other electric companies to meet demand, that can affect the surcharge.

• State government regulators (the Kentucky Public Service Commission) closely monitor the rate of EKPC’s environmental surcharge and require that it be approved by the commission each month before it is passed on to the electric cooperatives served by EKPC.

• All of these charges are set and approved by the Kentucky Public Service Commission following extensive reviews and hearings.