(courtesy KFOR TV)
Severe storms including 80 mph damaging winds, hail and heavy rainfall moved through OG&E’s service area overnight Tuesday causing downed power lines, broken power poles, and damage to cross arms and other equipment attached to poles.
As of 12 p.m. Wednesday, approximately 55,000 customers were without service due to the storms. There are 1,100 operations personnel restoring service to homes and businesses that can accept power, with additional personnel expected throughout the day. Wednesday, OG&E crews will continue assessing and inspecting damage that could not be seen overnight, including using a helicopter to assess structures and lines in more rural areas.
As of 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, approximately 68% of customers who experienced an outage as a result of the storms have been restored. An estimated 32,000 customers remain without service, many of which are the result of the storms earlier.
Damage is widespread in both Oklahoma and Arkansas communities, including Midwest City, Muskogee, Edmond, Del City, Crescent, and Fort Smith – the hardest hit area appears to be the Oklahoma City metro.
OG&E understands how important it is for customers to have power, especially given the extreme temperatures expected in the coming days. Crews have been and will continue working around the clock until power is restored.
Estimated times of restoration will be available after full damage assessments are complete. Crews will continue restoring power throughout the day and will advise when restoration times are available.
Once OG&E crews repair the power grid, we prioritize restoration for the community’s essential services, such as hospitals, police stations, fire departments, public works, and other critical infrastructure. As those facilities come online, operations personnel will focus on neighborhoods, individual homes and businesses experiencing an outage.
Today is forecasted to be one of the hottest days this year for many communities in OG&E’s service area. Please visit OGE.com/CoolZones for a list of cooling centers and check on family, friends and neighbors to make sure they have a plan to stay cool during the heat.
Following storms, OG&E will bring tree and brush debris to the curb; however, customers are responsible for removing the debris. City and county resources for debris removal may be available and vary by community.
Guidance for Customers
Extreme Temperatures:
High temperatures are in the forecast today and this week, and we appreciate our customers’ patience while crews work in the sun and heat to restore their power as safely and quickly as possible. Here are a few safety tips customers can follow to help manage the extreme heat:
- Drink plenty of water.
- If you don’t have access to air conditioning, open windows and curtains to allow air flow.
- If available, use handheld fans.
- Wear lightweight and breathable clothing.
- Check on elderly family members, neighbors and pets to ensure they are safe in this heat, too. If a customer does not have power or needs access to a climate-controlled environment, customers can find a list of cool zones at OGE.com/CoolZones.
- Customers can also call 2-1-1 for information about food and housing assistance, mental health resources, healthcare programs and other human services.