OG&E’s team of 105 linemen and support staff returned home safely after a nearly two-week-long deployment to assist with power restoration efforts in south Texas. Crews arrived back to their Oklahoma and Arkansas homes late Friday after restoring electricity for tens of thousands of customers in the Houston area. 

Line workers assisted with power restoration in Sugar Land, Barrett, Baytown and Angleton, Texas after Hurricane Beryl caused significant structural damage to the Houston area and surrounding communities. According to CenterPoint Energy’s outage tracker, over 2.2 million customers were initially left without power. Despite the challenging conditions, OG&E restoration personnel worked around the clock in difficult areas and re-energizing approximately 1,500 CenterPoint customers each day. 

OG&E line crews worked 16-hour days to complete extensive circuit work, which involved restoring power to individual homes and businesses, removing dangerous obstacles and repairing essential electrical equipment.  

“When over two million people lose power, it’s an enormous undertaking to get everything up and running, and our line workers stepped up to help our neighbors in need,” said Chris Bristol, OG&E Distribution Construction Manager. “We appreciated all of the folks in the communities who encouraged our line crews, handed out snacks and water, and expressed their gratitude as our team restored power as quickly and safely as possible. While we return to our homes tired, we are grateful to have had the chance to help and contribute in a meaningful way.”