Celebrating National Engineers Week – Meet Chris F.

February 22, 2024
photo of Chris F
Manager, Gas Engineering and Planning
LG&E and KU Engineering Council chair

Economic development growth and a desire by customers for affordable, efficient energy continues to make natural gas a hot commodity. To ensure LG&E can continue to meet the demand, mechanical engineer Chris F. ensures the infrastructure is in place to deliver safe, reliable gas to customers. Chris oversees a team of skilled engineers who provide the strategic planning, project engineering and management, and support necessary to operate and expand LG&E's complex gas system.

Specifically, his team manages large capital projects related to new or replacement pipelines, large public works, gate station renovation, regulator facility design and system reinforcement. They also develop gas construction standards and provide engineering guidance for Gas Operations policy and procedure development.

The group's planning team analyzes short- and long-term system growth and develops studies that support potential expansion. Employees also respond to gas system information requests about economic development initiatives such as the Ford battery manufacturing facilities. Additionally, they approve routine gas load requests for commercial, industrial or residential development. On a limited basis, they support gas projects for Power Generation.

Chris uses a wide variety of engineering skills in both technical and practical applications. Those range from detailed engineering design to daily support and emergency response for operations and construction groups to analyzing gas system changes with hydraulic modeling software.

"Coordination by our team at every level ensures the safe, reliable delivery of natural gas to customers and develops well-rounded engineers who excel within the business as leaders," he said.

Chris also is the 2024 chair of LG&E and KU’s Engineering Council. The council of 13 other engineers from different business lines and three support employees foster engineering excellence through professional development initiatives, information and best-practice sharing, community service, recruitment efforts and other projects.

 

National Engineers Week - Monica F.