State Penitentiary In McAlester Running On Generators

McALESTER, Okla. (AP) -- The Oklahoma State Penitentiary has been operating on generator power after this weekend's ice storm knocked out electricity at the prison.<br/><br/>Captain Mark Aldridge says

Tuesday, January 16th 2007, 5:57 am

By: News On 6

McALESTER, Okla. (AP) -- The Oklahoma State Penitentiary has been operating on generator power after this weekend's ice storm knocked out electricity at the prison.

Captain Mark Aldridge says maintenance crews have been thawing out frozen locks outside the prison and some employees from rural areas were unable to make it to work Monday.

However, Aldridge says there have been no problems with the maximum security prison's electronic locking system. He sees no problem with keeping the generators running until electricity can be restored.

The prison in McAlester holds 1,370 inmates and houses the state's death row.