Vandals Blamed For $1 Million In Damage To Tahlequah Electric Substation

Police are still looking for whoever caused $1 million in damage to an electrical substation on the west side of Tahlequah sometime Wednesday morning. 

Lake Region Electric Cooperative says its substation on Mud Valley Road was damaged when someone with a high powered rifle fired four shots. 

Two of the shots hit the substation's main transformer and two other shots hit electric breakers sometime between midnight Tuesday and noon on Wednesday. 

LREC says the bullet holes in the transformer allowed 2,000 gallons of oil to leak out, causing the transformer to burn up, knocking out power to 2,000 customers.  

Power was restored within two hours. 

Lake Region says KAMO brought in a mobile substation until a GRDA crew can replace the damaged transformer on Monday.

Anyone with information is asked to call Tahlequah Police or Lake Region Electric Cooperative at 918-772-2526 or 800-364-LREC.