Rolling blackouts in California and New York have become commonplace during the summer, as electrical consumption increases. However, with blackouts in Tulsa being a little closer to home, many people are concerned that blackouts may hit the Bryan County area as well.

Many residents of Durant noticed a dimming of the lights, or electricity going off completely, between 7 and 8 a.m. Aug. 3. Those problems were caused by a transmission line voltage outage, according to Gene Fryar, manager of community development for OG&E.

However, the electrical problems have raised some questions.

Tim Hartley, spokesman for OG&E, said the company does not anticpate any blackout problems from energy consumption for the local area.

“The biggest drive in electric consumption is air conditioning,” said Hartley, adding that this year consumption has been extremely high due to the triple-digit temperatures.

“We call this a heat storm, and our people and equipment have worked exceeding well during this time.”

Anticipating growth in its service area, OG&E has prepared for the higher usage.

“We've been investing millions in infrastructure and wiring upgrades. We've even acquired a new generating plant,” Hartley said.

“This year the customers have set four new records for peak electricity demands. Those investments we've made have enabled us to meet the new records for electricity. We don't see the demand for use declining,” he said.

To ease consumption use, and to save money on the electricity bill, Hartley suggested adjusting the thermostat to a higher temperature for times when no one is at home; cleaning air conditioner filters; and not pump heat into the house until after peak hours, around 5 p.m.

Methods to reduce the amount of heat pumped into the house include not using the stove or clothes washer or dryer until after peak hours.

Other energy-saving tips can be found at www.oge.com under the tab “OG&E electric services.” It is labeled energy saving tips for your home.