Solar-powered lighting pilot program seeks to curb copper wire theft in Louisville
By Norman Seawright
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LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (WLKY) — A new program in Louisville is aiming to curb copper theft and vandalism, with help from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
The work is happening near the I-64 and I-71 interchange, where crews were closing a lane to remove older light poles on the shoulders and replace them with solar-powered lights.
Carlos E. Sanchez, President of AT&T Kentucky and a member of Louisville Metro’s Critical Infrastructure Task Force, said copper theft had been hitting the company’s infrastructure around three times a day.
“When they cut the copper—many times, of course, these thieves are not very careful—they also cut our fiber lines,” Sanchez said.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said the task force is trying several approaches.
“One of the things that we’re doing now, yes, is piloting some solar-powered lights,” Greenberg said.
Sanchez said the effort is already showing results. “Copper theft is down, from January 2025 to January 2026, by 90%, and interestingly enough, for the past three months of 2026, we have had zero copper theft in Louisville Metro,” Sanchez said.
Other solutions include technology upgrades, making it harder to sell stolen copper, and offering rewards for tips that lead to prosecution.
AT&T offers a $10,000 reward for any lead that is arrested, prosecuted and leads to a conviction, Sanchez said.
Greenberg praised the work.
“I’ve incredibly proud of the work that they have done, really reducing the amount of copper wire theft that has happened in our community over the past many months. It’s a collaboration between the private sector, between Louisville Metro government,” Greenberg said.
Sanchez believes it’s a trailblazing approach.
“Other cities across the country are now using this initiative, this step that Louisville took a couple of years ago in, in making sure that copper theft is really addressed,” Sanchez said.
Sanchez said the problem is also affecting other parts of Kentucky, including Pike County in eastern Kentucky.
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