Tulsa Officials Provide Update On Storm Recovery Efforts

It may not seem like it for those without power and air conditioning, but crews are making progress across the area to restore electricity.

PSO said part of the reason why restoration is taking some time is because every level is damaged in some way, including transformers and powerlines to your home.

More than 100,000 people are still without power across the Tulsa area.

PSO said its employees and volunteers from Oklahoma and across the US are working to get everything back online.

"We are working night and day in all part of the city to restore power to everybody. We understand the frustration of our customers. We are frustrated, too. This is an enormous challenge," PSO's Wane Green said.

Green said out of 14 transmission lines that were damaged, seven were repaired, and an eighth should be back online soon.

"We will keep working at it until every Tulsan has their power back," Green said.

Mayor G. T. Bynum said PSO also brought back power at three terminals where fuel is stored. Bynum addressed rumors about the terminals and concerns Tulsans have about potential gas shortages.

"Right now the main gap between you and getting all the fuel that you want is just we need time for the tanker trucks to get out to the terminals and transport that fuel from the terminals to stores and gas stations all over the Tulsa Metro, but the fuel is there," Bynum said.

As people wait for power to come back on, their homes are getting hotter.

EMSA's Adam Paluka issued the first heat alert for 2023 and said emergency services responded to at least 16 heat related cases in the first 36 hours.

"That's why it is vitally important for people to take advantage of the cooling stations that have been set up throughout the metro area," Paluka said.

PSO said everyone should have their power back by Saturday.