ODESSA, Texas — With the arctic blast inching closer to West Texas, the ability for our electricity to hold up could be impacted. While precipitation is not expected, the strong winds mean power outages are possible.
Training for these situations is done throughout the year to be ready for when these times come. In speaking with ONCOR, they are prepared to handle whatever the weather throws their way.
“Every storm is different, so you really can’t predict a storm, but we’re prepared," said Ed Mendez, Customer Operations Executive for ONCOR.
For ONCOR, getting the lights back on when needed is what they do.
“Well-trained, well-positioned, our crews are expert at these," Mendez said. "We have the inventory, we have the materials in stock, we have fuses, we have transformers in place to make all the repairs necessary.”
ONCOR does not produce electricity, it simply delivers it.
If a power line goes down, they have the equipment and personnel to fix it.
“Our crews are well-trained to work safely – they have the expertise, the knowledge, to repair and work under any circumstance," Mendez said. "Of course, the product we deliver, electricity, is dangerous, but we know how to manage that and safely restore people.”
Mendez says part of their preparation is keeping their eyes open.
“We monitor our infrastructure, make sure everything’s healthy and strong," Mendez said. "If not, we replace or we upgrade. We put eyeballs on all our lines, use of drones in some instances. We have thousands and thousands of miles of – not just transmission but distribution lines – so [we] try to put as many eyeballs as we can on them.”
Wind and its impact on tree branches can cause outages.
While ONCOR is ready for quick outage restoration, West Texans can still prepare if the power goes out.
“Make sure you have batteries, try to keep your cell phone charged when you do have power in the event you do lose power," Mendez said. "I would keep blankets, water, snacks in the event there is an outage. Depending on the severity of the storm, it could be out for a significant amount of time. Hopefully not, but better safe than sorry.”
Mendez emphasized that they are prepared to keep the lights on and restore power efficiently if necessary. If you need to report an outage to ONCOR during the arctic blast, you can call 888-313-4747, text the keyword “OUT” to 66267 or go to their website, mobile app or social media.