Responding to the public’s frustrations with record-breaking power outages caused by storms in the past five months, Mayor Jerry Abramson is telling the head of Louisville Gas & Electric it’s time to fortify the city’s electrical system.

Abramson sent a letter to Victor Stafieri, CEO and president of LG&E, saying, “It is time for a serious public discussion about what LG&E can do to fortify our electrical system to reduce the impact of nature’s wrath and to more quickly restore electrical service when disasters strike.”

Following last week’s storm, a group emerged on Facebook calling for the utility company to bury the power lines underground. LEO Weekly’s cover story, Apocalypsnow, reveals that while public sentiment is certainly boiling for a quick fix, the task is both difficult and costly.

LG&E spokesman Chip Keeling says it would cost nearly $1 million per mile to bury Louisiville’s power lines, an undertaking that could be extremely difficult in parts of the city, such as the densely populated district along Bardstown Road.

Chad Carlton, a spokesman for the mayor, says Abramson is asking the utility company for a more detailed explanation of what the cost and benefits would be and he wants the discussion to take place in a public forum so customers can weigh in on any possible changes. The mayor asked LG&E to provide an analysis that would include options such as replacing overhead lines with underground service, as well as other prevention measures, including tree management.

“The mayor is looking to get the facts out on the table,” Carlton says. “Burying the power lines is one thing people know. There are multiple options. The question is what are the technology options?”