Odessa residents left wondering: What's causing the flickering lights?

Yahoo

06-02-2025

ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- Residents across Odessa and surrounding areas have reported repeated instances of their lights flickering, with some also hearing strange noises in the aftermath. The issue, which seems to have persisted for weeks, has left many searching for answers.
According to discussions and concerns voiced via social media, the phenomenon appears to be widespread, with residents from different parts of Odessa and even Big Spring sharing their experiences.
A Facebook thread discussing the issue has drawn multiple responses:
One resident posted, 'As of 5:40 a.m. on February 6, my lights have flickered twice, and I've heard a boom 10-15 seconds afterward. South of Odessa, near S Loop 338 and S 385.'
Another resident in North Odessa shared, 'This is weird y'all, our lights are flickering again this morning on 87th St.'
Someone in East Odessa reported a similar experience, saying, 'I've had my lights flicker and there's a loud noise coming from somewhere near me like a wind noise, almost like a helicopter, but it's been going for an hour almost!'
The reports continue to pour in from West Odessa and Tanglewood, with many claiming this has been an ongoing issue for the past few weeks.
One resident observed, 'I notice most of it in the early morning and evenings because it's before/after sunlight hours. Not hearing the booms described, but I live in a neighborhood with tree cover, so it muffles a lot of sound.'
Based on the discussion, the flickering situation is not limited to Odessa alone, as residents in Big Spring have also experienced similar flickering lights.
To shed light on the issue, we reached out to Gus Ortega with ONCOR, who explained that there could be several potential causes of the flickering.
'It could be a number of things,' Ortega said. 'Sometimes, wildlife gets into the lines, causing momentary disruptions. If something comes into contact with our power lines, it may cause flickering, but the lights usually come back on quickly. Another possibility is a vehicle hitting a pole, causing wires to touch and momentarily disrupt power.'
According to the Oncor outage map, there are no reported outages in Odessa. In Midland, however, there are around 216 total customers affected by different outages.
Excluding the 216 customers in the City of Midland, on the outskirts, Near North State Highway 349, there is another outage impacting reportedly 210 customers. This outage is estimated to be fixed by February 6, 2025, at 12:30 PM.
Based on the outage map provided by Oncor, there is no definitive answer as to what is causing these flickering lights around the Permian Basin. Ortega said that while the causes remain unknown, it is important for customers who may be experiencing these flickering lights, to call and report it.
Ortega reassured residents that ONCOR is monitoring the situation and encourages anyone experiencing persistent flickering to check the ONCOR outage map or report issues by calling 888-313-4747.
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