BARNSDALL, Okla. — Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) received one of the highest accolades in the electric utility industry for its response to the Barnsdall Tornado of May 2024.
PSO received the Emergency Response Award from the Edison Electric Institute (EEI).
On May 6, an EF-4 tornado with up to 175 miles per hour winds hit Barnsdall, causing widespread destruction to homes and businesses. The town’s electrical grid was also severely damaged, leaving behind bent steel structures, hundreds of snapped poles and broken wires.
PSO said crews of over 650 linemen, forestry personnel and support staff worked to restore power to more than 8,000 customers.
It took crews only three days to repair 97 percent of the damage.
“This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication our crews put into storm restoration, working around the clock to restore power to a community after a devastating tornado,” …