By Brenna Angel
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Utility crews in Paris are asking residents to reduce their electrical use at least through Tuesday evening while an additional transformer is brought on line. City Manager Michael Nagy says a combination of cold temperatures, increased power consumption, and old age caused a transformer to blow on Monday.
"We have a replacement transformer that is now here being calibrated and installed so that we can get back to normal. But until we get the calibration done on the replacement transformer, we're still going to have that oddity of balancing circuits, and that's why we have these blips coming from time to time."
Nagy says the blips caused short-term power outages throughout Paris. The transformer being installed is on loan from Kentucky Utilities.
"We're able to keep this loaner in use until the spring. The intention is to get the system back into balance, and then start investigating the purchase of a new transformer that will probably be a little bit beefier than the one that we had so we can be prepared in the future."
Paris operates its own utility distribution, and a new transformer could cost anywhere from $200,000 to $500,000. Nagy says with budget adjustments and insurance, the city should be able to cover the expense.