Press Release

06.11.09

Heavy rain and lighting continued to hamper Oncor crews and contractors as they restore power through the night and early morning.  Due to multiple storm fronts passing through the DFW Metroplex, 145,000 homes and businesses remain without power at 4 a.m., down from 260,000 at the peak of the storm.

High winds and rain pounded the Dallas/Fort Worth area, knocking down poles, trees and power lines.  Although power outages were reported from all areas of the Oncor service area, Dallas/Fort Worth took the brunt of the impact.

“Although we have additional personnel in route to help us restore power, any additional bad weather will only slow us down,” said Charles Jenkins, Oncor Senior Vice President, Transmission and System Operations. “Our first priority is safety and we urge the public to be careful and stay away from downed lines.”

Oncor opened the System Emergency Center at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, June 10. The center will remain open around-the-clock until major repairs are completed.

Oncor has called in 550 additional contract line crew members, 1,100 additional tree-trimming crew members, a 60-person storm team from Oklahoma Gas & Electric and a 60-person team from CenterPoint, based out of Houston to assist with repairs. Contractors are expected to arrive throughout the morning today from Austin, Houston and from as far away as Alabama, Missouri and Louisiana.

If you’re experiencing a power outage, please report it by calling the number on your electric bill..

Keep these safety tips in mind during severe thunderstorms:

• Stay away from downed power lines—Keep everyone away and call the emergency number on your electric bill or 911.
• If you are involved in a vehicle accident and a power line falls across your vehicle, stay put until help arrives. Your tires provide important insulation from the ground.
• Keep an emergency kit handy—Be sure batteries, flashlights and battery-powered radios are accessible during storms, just in case the power goes out.
• Don’t tempt fate…or lightning—Stay indoors or seek shelter during storms. According to the National Weather Service, lightning has been the second largest storm-related killer in the U.S. for the past 40 years, exceeded only by floods.
• Don’t touch an object that is in contact with power lines—That includes tree limbs. Remember tree limbs can conduct electricity.
• Keep refrigerator and freezer doors shut. Food will stay six to nine hours in a refrigerator without spoiling. Frozen foods will keep about 24 hours.

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