FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky Power customers will be getting a small amount of relief on their power bills, after the Public Service Commission agreed to allow the utility to spread out some of the cost of a winter storm.

Beginning in the last week of January, Eastern Kentucky experienced two weeks of below-freezing temperatures, pushing up the demand for power and causing the cost of electricity to soar.

To account for the fluctuating energy markets, a fuel adjustment charge is added to customer bills. As a result of the prolonged cold snap, that charge for January, which would appear on March bills, was set to quadruple, if left alone.

Kentucky Power asked the PSC for permission to remove $5 million of that increase and spread it out equally across the lower demand months of May, June and July. The PSC granted that request on Monday.

The net effect of the change will be to lower the average residential bill in March from $250 to $239.