Twelve Public Service Company of Oklahoma employees departed from Tulsa Saturday to fly to Puerto Rico to help restore power to the island. They are part of a group of nearly 70 frontline employees from PSO and its sister companies across the AEP system that are joining in the massive power restoration effort there.
The PSO employees are traveling to Caguas, a remote, mountainous and heavily impacted region of Puerto Rico. Their trucks and equipment were shipped by barge and arrived there earlier this week. Two additional PSO employees arrived several days in advance to prepare for the arrival of the restoration team.
Cliff Elliott, distribution system supervisor in Atoka, is leading PSO’s team. He says he expects they will work 12 to 15 hours a day, seven days a week for the next 30-45 days.
“We’re honored to have the opportunity to help bring power back to the people of Puerto Rico,” said Elliott. “We will miss our families and friends, but the conditions in Puerto Rico are dire, and they need power restored as quickly as possible. We have the expertise to do that, and we are happy to be able to help.”
Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico Sept. 20, leaving 3.6 million people without power. More than four months later, many homes and businesses are still without electrical service.
The American Public Power Association, the Edison Electric Institute, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, and their member companies have been working together to support the mission of restoring power for the citizens of Puerto Rico, following a request by the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority. AEP and its subsidiaries are among several U.S. mainland energy companies providing resources and workers to PREPA.