Oklahoma Gas & Electric presented a stipulated agreement to recoup up to $7 million in expenses for grid automation and technological upgrades during a recent meeting at the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. If approved by the Commission, the upgrades would increase the average residential customer bill by 52 cents, according to an article published by Janice Francis-Smith in The Journal Record.
OG&E representatives recommended the agreement’s approval by justifying the future economic benefit to customers following completion of the system upgrades. The agreement met the approval of the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Public Utility Unit, Commission staff and OG&E. The electric utility agreed to provide quarterly status reports to monitor the implementation of the five-year, $810 million strategic upgrade plan.
When OG&E files its rate case during the first quarter of 2021, the Commission may examine the use of the project’s funds to determine whether an adjustment needs to be made.
“We look forward to making these investments on behalf of our customers,” said Brian Alford, OG&E spokesman. “OG&E’s rates today are lower than they were in 2011, and we believe that being good stewards of our customers dollars is investing them in programs and activities that provide them greater reliability and resiliency.”
