PSO Calls In Help To Restore Power Across Tulsa

Overnight rain has not stopped crews working to restore power in the Tulsa area.

The Tulsa County Fairgrounds has been transformed into command center for Public Service Company of Oklahoma, which is directing crews.

PSO says it's restored power to about 75 percent of the Tulsa-area customers who lost power in Tuesday night's storms.

The utility says power outages now number approximately 25,000.

PSO has a power restoration map online, which provides an estimated time of when electricity will be restored.

07/25/2013 Related Story: PSO Moves Up Estimate For Restoring Power To Tulsa Area Customers

PSO has brought in dozens of cherry pickers and wood chippers and more than 1,400 workers from states like Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas.

Lance Burbridge brought in a crew of 30 from Joplin.

"We're just down here returning the help," Burbridge said.

All of these workers are part of the Midwest Mutual Association.

"We share resources, and when we get in situations like this, that's what you have to do to get the power back on," he said.

PSO says the crews first come to the fairgrounds where they get safety tips, collect supplies and get briefed on the game plan to restore power as fast as possible.

See updated outage information for PSO

See updated outage information for OG&E

PSO said the plan is to focus efforts where the most people are without power -- in the northwest and southwest portion of the Tulsa metro.

"They've got a war room set up, and they are doing a very good job," Burbridge said.

They've organized the affected area into four quadrants.

PSO said the southeast quadrant -- south of 31st and East of Sheridan -- should have most of its power restored by 5 p.m. Friday. Others should be up and running by sometime Saturday afternoon.

PSO is hoping to tie up the loose ends on Sunday, but how smoothly everything will go could depend on the weather.

"A lot of this work is in folks' yards, and we don't want to have to get in there and tear things up," Burbridge said. "We're trying to beat the weather."

PSO said employees will work around the clock until the power is restored.