From the Top with CEO Patrick Grace

This time last year, an ice storm knocked out power to almost 20,000 members and destroyed poles in all seven counties we serve. The weather threw us a curveball again this October as severe weather took out 120 poles, forcing 10,616 members to be without power while repairs were made. Knowing October is the third highest month for tornadoes in Oklahoma, we were prepared for what came our way.

The board of directors has been very proactive in its approach to preventing outages as they've prioritized system upgrades and other measures in the last six years — investing dollars and work into creating a more reliable system for the members we serve. This includes installing lightning arresters to protect our equipment from the damaging effects of lightning, as well as smart devices that allow us to more quickly and effectively control parts of our system from our office. Managing vegetation growth also plays a large part in preventing outages. We continue to see benefits from keeping our lines and rights-of-way clear from branches and other vegetation that could interfere with your power. Strengthening our infrastructure to have the capability to serve fiber-to-the-home helps play a role in preventing outages, too.

A few short years ago, replacing 120 poles could’ve taken a week or longer. I’m proud of our crews and contractor crews who worked nonstop until all members’ power was restored less than 48 hours after the storms rolled through. It’s impressive to see our teams jump into action when an event like this occurs — from lineworkers and dispatchers to member services and more. Thanks to everyone who helped make this less impactful than it could’ve been.

Speaking of impact, our thirteen linemen who traveled to Louisiana in August returned home safely. They spent time away from their families providing much-needed mutual aid to electric cooperative personnel near Baton Rouge, restoring power to their members. I appreciate their dedication to the cooperative mission and principles, as well as all of our employees who jump in wherever they're needed when the time comes.