Oklahoma Corporation Commissioners will hold deliberations Thursday in the third try by Oklahoma Gas and Electric to win approval for the installation of $500 million in scrubbers to the utility’s Sooner coal plant. It’s a move that has been denied twice previously by the commission, but if approved this time, would eventually lead to higher utility rates for consumers.
Officially, the case is Cause No. 201600059 and the deliberations will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday. The commission held three days of hearings earlier in the month as OGE sought approval of its plan to install the scrubbers in order to meet lower sulfur dioxide emissions under regional haze rules from the Environmental Protection Agency.
OGE entered the case with the support of State Attorney General Scott Pruitt, the OG&E Shareholders Association, the Oklahoma Industrial Energy Consumers and the Corporation Commission’s public utility division.
However, there were several groups that oppose the scrubber installation plan including the Sierra Club, the AARP, the Oklahoma energy Results LLC and the Oklahoma Cogeneration LLC. They contend the plan is too costly and puts too much risk on ratepayers.
