8-K

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                    SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                         Washington, D. C.  20549



                                 FORM 8-K



                              CURRENT REPORT



                    Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                   the Securities exchange Act of 1934



                    Date of Report:  October 14, 1997



                   LOUISVILLE GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY
          (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

              Kentucky           2-26720          61 - 0264150
          (State or other      (Commission      (I.R.S. Employer
          jurisdiction of      File Number)   Identification No.)
           incorporation)



                           220 West Main Street
                              P.O. Box 32010
                           Louisville, KY 40232
                 (Address of principal executive offices)



                              (502) 627-2000
                     (Registrant's telephone number)
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Item 5.  Other Events.

On October 14, 1997, LG&E Energy Corp., the Company's parent, announced
that its board of directors elected Jeffery T. Grade, 53, to the boards of
the holding company and Louisville Gas and Electric Company.  Mr. Grade
will fulfill the term of Mr. Ronald L. Bittner, who passed away August 31,
1997.


Item 7(c).  Exhibits Filed.

Exhibit
Number              Description

99.01               News Release dated October 14, 1997.


                                SIGNATURES


Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


LOUISVILLE GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY
Registrant


Date:  October 16, 1997         /s/ John R. McCall
                                ______________________________________
                                John R. McCall
                                Executive Vice President, General
                                Counsel and Corporate Secretary

EX-99.01

Exhibit 99.01


     JEFFERY T. GRADE ELECTED TO LG&E ENERGY CORP. BOARD OF DIRECTORS


LOUISVILLE, Ky. - LG&E Energy Corp. (NYSE:LGE) announced today that its
board of directors elected Jeffery T. Grade, 53, to the boards of the
holding company and Louisville Gas and Electric Company.  Mr. Grade will
fulfill the term of Mr. Ronald L. Bittner, who passed away Aug. 31.

Mr. Grade is chairman of the board and chief executive officer of
Harnischfeger Industries, Inc., a Milwaukee-based Fortune 500 company that
had sales in excess of $2.8 billion in 1996.  Harnischfeger Industries,
Inc. is an international holding company with business segments involved in
the manufacture and distribution of equipment for underground mining;
surface mining; pulp and papermaking; and material handling.

Mr. Grade currently serves on the boards of several organizations,
including Case Corporation and Coeur D'Alene Mines Corporation.  He holds
an MBA from DePaul University and a bachelor of science degree in
industrial engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology.  He also
served in Vietnam as a pilot in the United States Navy.  He joined
Harnischfeger in 1983 as senior vice president and chief financial officer.
He served as president and chief executive officer from 1992 to 1993 and
president and chief operating officer from 1986 to 1993.  In January 1993,
he became chairman and chief executive officer of the company.

"LG&E Energy will benefit from Jeff's insight and leadership," said Roger
W. Hale, LG&E Energy chairman and chief executive officer.  "His depth of
experience, particularly in the areas of corporate finance and domestic and
international business development, will provide a good strategic fit with
our company as we continue to grow at a rapid pace."

LG&E Energy Corp., a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Louisville, Ky.,
is a diversified energy services and marketing company with businesses in
energy marketing and trading; power generation and project development; and
retail gas and electric utility services.

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