Thousands Served Through City’s ‘Operation Power Up!’
REPAIR CENTRAL: Trucks from states across the country are parked at Expo Square where crews are congregating to coordinate repair efforts. They have been working around the clock to restore power in the area. Crews from neighboring states and as far away as the east coast have traveled to Tulsa to help. At the worst point in the ice storm, nearly half a million Oklahomans were without power. It is estimated that nearly one million people in the Midwest lost power during the storm.For the most up-to-date information on PSO repairs in Tulsa, visit www.psoklahoma.com/news/outages.
GTR Newspapers photo
“Operation Power Up!” teams assessed 4,363 Tulsa homes hardest hid by the recent ice storm on Dec. 16. Firefighters led nearly 500 volunteers, most of whom were associated with GUTS Church, on the first day of “Operation Power Up!” – the City’s aggressive program aimed at getting power restored to all Tulsa residents before Dec. 25.
Oklahoma’s worst ice storm in history wipes out power to 246,000 Tulsa-area customers. As of Dec. 17, 31,000 Tulsa customers remained without electrical service, according to PSO. Officials estimated that debris on power lines and/or weatherhead damage could prevent restoration of electrical power to up to 10,000 homes. A weatherhead is a weatherproof entry point for above-ground electrical wiring or telephone lines.
“Operation Power Up!” has a single goal: getting people’s lives back to normal.
“PSO and city crews continue round-the-clock operations to re-energize lines across the city,” says Mayor Kathy Taylor. “However, if a homeowner’s weatherhead has been damaged, the residence may now have power even after PSO workers have completed their work. Weatherheads are not owned or maintained by PSO; rather, they are the homeowner’s responsibility. ‘Operation Power Up!’ was established to help citizens determine whether weatherhead repair or debris removal is needed and to coordinate the work citywide.”
Organized into 10 command centers, “Operation Power Up!” went door-to-door on Dec. 16 assessing weatherheads, removing debris on power lines and conducting minor structural repairs that could prevent reconnection. “Operation Power Up!” teams that were unable to make contact with the residents affixed informational flyers on residents’ doors.
Individuals who already have made appointments for weatherhead repairs with private electricians should keep the appointment and save their receipts. Work may be eligible for reimbursement. Homeowners who have a broken weatherhead can expect to pay private electrical contractors several hundred dollars for the necessary repair work.
Citizens who have been unable to secure a timely appointment for weatherhead repair work should contact the Mayor’s Action Center at (918) 596-2100 to request placement on the “Operation Power Up!” repair list. City officials are actively working with local, state and federal authorities, as well as private individuals and organizations, to secure funding for “Operation Power Up!” efforts.
Updated 12-17-2007
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