PSO: Year-Round Tree Trimming Helps Cut Down On Power Outages During Severe Weather

Public Service Company of Oklahoma is keeping a close eye on the winter weather and preparing for any power outages. 

PSO said it has dealt with a few outages this week, mainly from drivers sliding on the ice and running into poles. The company said one way it can prepare for this weather is to manage tree limbs that are too close to their lines.  

Power crews are expected to be out near 177th East Avenue and the Creek Turnpike for a few days. They will be fixing a problem that at its peak, knocked out power to about 9,000 customers in Broken Arrow and Coweta neighborhoods Wednesday morning. 

"Within just five minutes we had several thousand back on again,” PSO spokesperson Stan Whiteford said.  

Part of 177th East Avenue is closed while the work is done, but PSO said it re-routed power, and everyone's lights are back on.  

The company said it is not clear if weather was a factor in this outage, but looking ahead to the next few days, Whiteford said they will continue to pay close attention to the forecast. 

That, combined with the work done year-round, pays off during severe weather. Whiteford said PSO hires a tree company to trim branches ahead of time they think might cause trouble later.  

"Any tree that has the potential to interfere with our lines, we try to make sure that we trim that tree at least once every four years,” Whiteford said.  

He said the tree management program has been in full swing since 2005, making a "dramatic impact" on the number of tree-related outages.  

"When we have any type of severe weather event, whether it's a severe thunderstorm in the summer or an ice storm in the winter, that we have the best opportunity to have the fewest outages as possible,” Whiteford said.  

PSO crews do go out to other states when needed in major weather events. Whiteford said all the crews are here, on standby in case Oklahomans face any issues.