Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) is preparing to respond to a possible major freezing rain and icing event that could cause power outages in the southeastern Oklahoma counties that PSO serves.  The storm, which is forecast to start Thursday, December 5, could deposit ice accumulations of ¼” to ½”.
 
PSO’s preparations include calling in additional line and tree crews to help with power restoration, bolstering the inventory of hardware needed to repair damaged infrastructure (poles, cross-arms, insulators, electrical conductor, clamps, transformers, etc.), and many other actions. Photos of preparations: http://on.fb.me/1kbWwBT
 
The company has established staging areas in McAlester, Stigler, Antlers, Wilburton, Hugo, and Atoka.  PSO is trucking in additional material to its service centers in McAlester, Atoka and Wilburton.
 
PSO is assembling a workforce of approximately 350 workers to address potential outages on the electric Distribution system.  This includes Distribution line workers, tree workers, servicers, engineers, and support personnel.  PSO’s normal McAlester District Distribution complement numbers 50.  Additional resources for the Transmission system also are standing by.
 
In preparation for the winter storm season, PSO conducted its annual McAlester District Winter Storm Drill on November 15.  It was held at the Eastern Oklahoma State College campus in McAlester.
 
Approximately three dozen PSO employees and community partners attended.  External participants included a state Representative, city managers, mayors, various city and town representatives, emergency management directors and staff, and law enforcement.  
 
PSO serves a total of 65,101 customers in southeastern Oklahoma, including 10,214 customers in McAlester and its immediate surroundings.

Updates will be posted to PSOklahoma.com, PSO's Facebook page and Twitter account.
 
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