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May tornadoes leave electric co-ops with outages, damages


By Anna Politano The aftermath from the severe thunderstorms


and tornadoes that ravaged Oklahoma from May 22–25 left electric cooperatives across the state with more than $7.6 million in damages. The National Weather Service confi rmed that


seven tornadoes touched down in Oklahoma within a 24-hour time period. According to Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives Director of Public Relations Sid Sperry, these tornadoes—which ranged from category EF-3 and EF-4 to EF-5—left electric cooperatives with approximately 1,150 distribution poles destroyed.


In addition, Western Farmers Electric Coop- erative, a generation and transmission co-op, had more than 70 high-voltage transmission structures damaged or destroyed, over 100 poles broken, and one entire substation near Calumet, Okla. (Cana) destroyed. A total of 17 electric cooperatives reported damages and outages. Co-op and contractor crews, along with some co-op mutual-aid crews, worked long hours to ensure that consumer- members had power restored in a safe and timely manner. “Power was restored to all consumers who could safely receive electricity by Sunday, May 29,” said Sperry.


Consumer-members throughout the state


have responded with gratitude to their electric co-ops, including Oklahoma Electric Co-op member Sarah Whiteside Schneringer, who wrote on OEC’s Facebook page, “Thank you for the amazing job you guys are doing. We were prepared to be without power for several days knowing there were others who were harder hit than us. You are an awesome organization!” OL


TIP OF THE MONTH


Consider using solar lights for outdoor lighting. Solar cells convert sunlight into electricity that can be stored in a battery and tapped at night to make light. Check manufacturer’s instructions to make sure your solar lights are situated to receive suffi - cient sunlight to recharge each day.


Source: U.S. Department of Energy JULY 2011 5


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Above: Western Farmers Electric Co-op crews work on different stretches of a high-voltage transmission line ripped by the May tornadoes. The damage caused by the tornadoes spread out over approximately seven miles of transmission line.


Below right: Central Rural Electric Co-op (CREC) lineman Larry Gordon works on a distribution pole south of Stillwater to safely restore power to members. Bottom: Contract crews replace poles for CREC along Western Avenue, southwest of Stillwater.


Photos by CREC Staff


Photos by Mark Daugherty/WFEC


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