Oncor says they're prepared for possible power outages
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Oncor said there have not been widespread power outages so far but that they're prepared if it happens.
A spokesperson for Oncor said the storm has gone about how they expected - with few outages to start the day and more as each hour progressed.
But they said they started preparations early: crews and equipment have been out since Monday getting ready to shift into storm mode.
Supplies like poles, transformers, and wire were strategically located to minimize disruptions and to allow crews to respond to outages quickly.
But the spokesperson said this weather is the worst kind for power outages because of the ice and sleet. He said it's not the buildup on the powerlines that causes the most problems
"It's trees. Tree branches, big tree limbs, entire trees, they sag or they fall over and they fall into powerlines," said Andy Morgan of Oncor. "And I know people don't like tree trimming, but that's why we do it, so we can keep the power on in their neighborhoods. And once the ice starts building up, once it gets to at least a quarter inch, that's when it becomes critical. And it starts adding more and more weight to those tree limbs and branches, and they start sagging or breaking off."
Oncor says it's talking to other power companies about the possibility of coming to North Texas to help them if conditions worsen, but no decision has been made yet.