Across our PPL family of companies, we’re investing in grid modernization to strengthen grid reliability and resiliency for our customers and advancing a cleaner energy future without compromising on affordability. It’s part of our overall plan to invest $12 billion from 2023 through 2026 across our Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Virginia operations in support of our utility of the future strategy.
This October during National Energy Awareness Month, we’re highlighting some of the ways we’re investing in this transition through innovation and collaborative efforts:
Grid Reliability and Resilience
We are focused on enhancing value through grid hardening, industry-leading grid automation, advanced technology, and trailblazing uses of data analytics and artificial intelligence to prioritize maintenance and investment decisions.
Our goals with these investments are clear: strengthen grid resilience and reliability as extreme weather threats increase, drive improved performance at a lower cost to help keep energy affordable for our customers; and position the grid to enable a cleaner energy future.
Across PPL, our forward-leaning investments, innovation and proven operating expertise are delivering measurable results. In Pennsylvania, PPL Electric Utilities has developed one of the nation’s smartest, most robust electrical grids, and we’re replicating this operating model across all the regions we serve to further enhance the safety, resiliency and reliability of our systems, while preparing them for renewables integration.
Harnessing the Power of Renewable Energy
We are actively seeking new ways to support increasing customer desire for renewables and position our grid as an enabler of clean energy resources.
Distributed energy resources (or DERs), including private solar, wind and battery storage, will play an increasingly important role in harnessing the full potential of renewable energy sources moving forward. Smart delivery platforms will be key to integrating the resulting complex mix of decentralized generation and traditional, centralized resources.
Years of experience with our distribution management system, along with a commitment to reliability and customer satisfaction, have positioned PPL to support and manage the two-way power flow caused by DERs.
We also operate our own renewable generation. Kentucky subsidiaries, Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company, operate the Dix Dam and Ohio Falls hydroelectric plants, both of which were built near the turn of the century in the 1920s.
Adding to the hydroelectric plants, LG&E and KU have operated a 10-megawatt solar facility since 2016 and offer a portfolio of sustainable programs that encourage customers to support local solar energy and regional renewable energy sources.
Understanding how solar energy is produced and how solar facilities operate will be critical for the utility industry and academic institutions. Our Research and Development department makes publicly available through our website’s live solar generation data, the Solar Share live dashboard, and more than 100 peer-reviewed, publicly available academic publications.
Empowering Electric Vehicles
Not only are electric vehicles (EVs) fun to drive, but they can be powered with renewable electricity and are much more energy efficient than gasoline or diesel-powered vehicles. More than 65 EV models are available today, and nearly 140 models are expected by 2024.
Across PPL, our companies continue to support the expansion of EV charging stations in a variety of ways, and we’re proud to be part of the National Electric Highway Coalition, which is committed to providing fast charging stations that will allow the public to travel with confidence along major U.S. travel corridors.
In addition to supporting our customers in switching to electric vehicles, we’ve also adopted electrification goals for our vehicle fleets. We have committed to transition 100% of our light-duty vehicles (and 50% of our medium and heavy-duty vehicles) to electric or hybrid electric models by 2030.
PPL is leading the way toward a safe, reliable, affordable and sustainable clean energy transition.
