Winter Weather Causes Power Outages Throughout Oklahoma

Hundreds of people were without power Saturday after freezing temperatures and ice swept through the state this weekend. 

OG&E says at one point, they had as many as 18,000 customers without power across their entire service area and since last night, crews have been working across the metro trying to combat these conditions.

"​We had our crews working in shifts and we had approximately 250 restoration peroneal that are working today," said Trisha Koelsch, spokesperson with OG&E. 

According to OG&E, the first outages were reported around 5 p.m. Friday night. Crews say these outages they are experiencing aren’t from the cold, but rather the precipitation.

"We are noticing those because it’s been so dry and now a little bit of precipitation is brining those damages out so we’re just preparing those as quickly and safely as we can," said Koelsch. 

Officials also say if you do lose power and the temperature inside your house drops to 55 degrees or lower that you open your faucets slightly to allow them to drip to prevent freezing pipes.

​"Layer the clothes on, bundle up in blankets if they can," Koelsch said. "Wear a hat and scarf to keep warm."

Officials also say to not open your refrigerator or freezer unless necessary to keep the food cold. They also say if you have an elderly loved one or neighbor to set up a support network that can help them in an emergency.

"Know their options, know where their options are and if they have life threatening conditions," Koelsch said. "If they need electricity to power their medical device, make sure that all of that is included in their plan."

Crews also say to avoid any downed power lines or anything they’re touching. If you lose power or see any downed power lines, you’re asked to report it to OG&E at 800-522-6870.