Powerline Press
NEWSLETTER
A Supplement of Oklahoma Living Published by Lake Region Electric Cooperative for its members.
December 2019 August 2026
THE AFTERMATH OF THE STORM
Restoring power, rebuilding lines, and serving our members In late June and again over the Fourth of July holiday, early summer storms brought damaging winds, torrential rain, and a fireworks show of their own. As these powerful storms swept across northeastern Oklahoma, LREC employees did what they always do, they answered the call. Their mission was simple: to restore power safely and as quickly as possible for our members. The work, however, was anything but simple. The tasks were complex, challenging, and physically demanding. Crews faced long hours, difficult conditions, and Oklahoma heat. In some areas, the power lines were so twisted and tangled they looked as if the wind had picked them up, wadded them into a ball, and tossed them back down. The first round of storms left nearly 3,000 members without electricity and caused widespread damage across the cooperative’s service territory. As crews assessed the destruction, they found approximately 44 broken utility poles, countless lightning-related outages, and sections of damaged power line. Many of the hardest-hit areas were in muddy, difficult-toreach terrain, requiring specialized equipment and long hours to rebuild portions of the electric grid. After nearly 24 hours of restoration efforts by Lake Region crews, contractor crews and mutual aid line workers from Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative joined the effort. Together, they worked long hours demonstrating the cooperative principle of Cooperation Among Cooperatives while restoring power to every affected member as safely and quickly as possible. Just days later, another round of severe weather arrived on Independence Day. While many families were enjoying backyard cookouts and fireworks, Lake Region employees left their own holiday celebrations behind to respond. The storm left nearly
2,000 members without power, damaged six utility poles, and caused numerous lightning- and wind-related outages. Before the fireworks had even faded, crews were already patrolling power lines, replacing broken poles, repairing damaged equipment, and restoring service throughout the night. By Sunday morning, July 5, crews had made tremendous progress, reducing the number of outages to fewer than 100 members without power. Throughout both storms, crews made great progress despite challenging conditions. Long hours, extreme heat, muddy terrain, and additional rounds of severe weather never changed their focus. Every employee involved remained committed to restoring service safely, supporting one another, and serving our members until the final outage was restored. Storm restoration is about more than repairing poles and power lines. It is about neighbors helping neighbors, employees serving the communities they call home, and fulfilling the cooperative mission of providing safe, reliable electric service. Whether the call comes on an ordinary weekday or during a holiday celebration, Lake Region employees stand ready to respond whenever our members need them.
After hours outages can be reported 24 hours a day, 365 days a year through your SmartHub account, by calling our automated outage reporting system at 918-414-7900, or by texting OUT to 918-772-2526. STORM PHOTOS ON PAGE 2