About 23,000 Oklahomans still lack power

More than 23,000 homes and businesses are still without power a week after an ice storm rolled through the state, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission reported.

The Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives reported 16,047 customers were still without power Thursday. The figure includes 5,503 customers of Walters-based Cotton Electric and 3,162 customers of Binger-based Caddo Electric.

The Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority reported 6,352 customers without power, including 3,255 in Altus and 2,325 in Marlow.

Public Service Company of Oklahoma reported 900 customers without power in Chickasha, Hobart and Lawton, down from the nearly 12,000 who were without power Wednesday.

While power is being restored statewide, Marlow residents could still be without power until next week. Workers discovered Wednesday night that a four-mile transmission line feeding the substation needs repairs, City Administrator Janice Cain said. The line runs through pastures in the country, so repairs could take until Sunday or Monday.

Several businesses in the area are running on generator power.

"The community has really pulled together and is weathering this disastrous situation," Cain said. "We're

a little bit in the rough, but we're not going without."

Lawton officials lifted a water conservation order Wednesday night after the Medicine Park water treatment plant was fixed, said Comanche County spokesman Chris Killmer. Officials announced the plant was offline Tuesday morning after a backup generator failed. Crews worked to get the plant operational about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday.

CONTRIBUTING: STAFF WRITER DARLA SLIPKE