A new report on last season's ice and wind storms says Kentucky's utilities should improve the ways they notify customers about when their electric power will be turned back on.

It was one of several recommendations from the Kentucky Public Service Commission in a 180-page report on the storms. The September wind storm and January ice storm caused the state's two biggest-ever power outages just months apart.

PSC officials say they found that providing frequent updates on utility Web sites was a cheap and effective method for keeping customers informed. The PSC says it also found that the web updates reduced the number of customer calls during outages. Officials suggested utilities also consider social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter to keep customers informed.

The report says the storms cost the state an estimated $1.2 billion in damages.