OG&E seeks to recover storm costs, ‘harden’ its system

Although electric utility companies often say protecting power lines from bad weather can be costly for customers, replacing power lines damaged in storms is proving just as costly.

For example, American Electric Power is recouping $82 million in costs from the damage during a December 2007 ice storm. Those costs are recovered through higher customer bills.

The April and June storms in western Arkansas cost Oklahoma City-based OG&E an estimated $3.4 million. The company is in the process of seeking cost recovery through applications with the Arkansas Public Service Commission.

OG&E recently filed a request with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to recover $115 million in costs over the next six years to “harden” its grid system so that it better withstands ice, wind and other damaging storms. The company plans to place lines under ground in new construction, trim trees back from power lines and install “breakaway” connections at power poles that allow for quicker restoration of power after a storm.

OG&E Spokesman Brian Alford has said the company estimates $500,000 in costs to bury one mile of utility lines.

Rob Ratley, the communications affairs manager for OG&E in the Fort Smith area, tells The City Wire that the company is also “aggressively” working improve its utility infrastructure and storm damage response system in western Arkansas.

The efforts include:

• The company managed an “indepth course” with the Fort Smith fire and police departments to coordinate actions following major storms. Ratley said OG&E hosted nine training sessions so that a majority of fire and police officers could receive the training.

• OG&E has dropped its internal response system and adopted an “Instant Command System” that ties in with emergency service providers in the Fort Smith area. “This aligns the OG&E response with those used by emergency services and the military,” Ratley explained.

• The company also is “getting more aggressive with tree trimming” around “critical circuits” that supply power to large groups of people or key operations, like hospitals, emergency services facilities and airports, Ratley said.

Ratley said there is talk of burying more utilities in western Arkansas, especially between the main line and a structure. However, that remains an expensive chore.

“We’re interested in hardening our system and finding a way to do it where it doesn’t have too harsh of an impact on our ratepayers,” Ratley said.