Copper Thefts Threaten Safety and Power Reliability in Rural Kentucky

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Farmers Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation (RECC), which serves rural areas in south-central Kentucky, is sounding the alarm after multiple incidents of copper theft from utility poles in its service territory.

Officials say the stolen copper wire is not just scrap metal, it’s a critical part of the system’s safety and reliability.

The cooperative has seen two waves of theft: one last year and another more recently. Scott Lester, Vice President of Operations at Farmers RECC, believes the uptick is likely tied to the rising value of copper.

“They look at it and see it on the pole and think, ‘hey, that’s going to be an easy way to get some money’—not realizing the danger involved,” he said.

Those dangers are severe. The copper wires act as grounding conductors, which protect utility workers, the public, and power equipment from electrical faults and lightning strikes. Without them, the system is left vulnerable.

“If someone cuts that ground wire,” Lester warned, “They could actually become the path for electricity if there’s a fault or lightning strike — and that can lead to serious injury or even death.”

Even if no one is injured, the thefts can disrupt electric service. Missing grounds make it harder and more dangerous for lineworkers to restore power after storms or outages.

Locating and replacing the missing wires takes time and resources, and it’s an expense the cooperative says could be avoided entirely.

Caroline Pennington, Director of Member and Public Communications at Farmers RECC, said the thefts have been concentrated in more rural areas of Barren and Metcalfe counties. She emphasized the importance of community awareness.

“If you see someone near a utility pole who doesn’t belong, especially if they’re not wearing logo gear — let us know, and also call the County Sheriff,” Pennington said.

Farmers RECC hopes increased public vigilance will help deter future thefts before they cause further damage or injury.

Courtesy: www.wbko.com