The lingering heat wave prompted the Southwest Power Pool, Oklahoma’s power grid operator, to issue a Resource Advisory this week but it does not require consumers to conserve energy. The advisory covers SPP’s 14-state footprint and was to be effective at 4 p.m. Central Time on Tuesday, June 21 with an anticipated end at 8 …
Closing coal plants isn’t so easy nor is it cheap
Coal-fired power plants aren’t being mothballed as quickly as some reports might indicate. Recent examples have occurred in Nebraska and Missouri. The Omaha World-Herald reported a North Omaha power plant will continue burning coal for at least another three years if approved in August by the Omaha Public Power District board. The paper reported the …
Oklahoma moves quickly to start cashless pay program on turnpike
The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority sped up its PlatePay program implementation Tuesday on the H.E. Bailey turnpike between Lawton and Oklahoma City. It is the first of three I-44/H.E. Bailey turnpike sections to be converted to cashless tolling. The timeline for the three I-44/H.E. Bailey Turnpike sections converting to PlatePay are: June 21: Chickasha, …
More construction fraud charges filed by Attorney General
Attorney General John O’Connor has filed additional charges in Oklahoma County against a contractor who received thousands of dollars from Oklahomans in several counties in exchange for construction projects he never completed. In November 2021, the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office Consumer Protection Unit began investigating a consumer fraud case involving Michael Hanson, 42, doing …
Coal car derailment in Kansas
Union Pacific workers spent the weekend cleaning up a coal-car train derailment near Lawrence, Kansas. The Lawrence Journal-World reported at least 30 cars carrying coal jumped the tracks, spilling coal at the wreckage site. None of the crew members on the train were injured. The derailment happened late Friday afternoon.
Kroger adding EV charging stations
Kroger’s new grocery store in Oklahoma City apparently won’t be among several where the Ohio-based chain plans to add electric vehicle charging stations at sites across the U.S. The company announced it is adding hundreds of EV charging stations at stores in select markets as part of a collaboration with Blink, Electrify America, EVgo, …
More energy headlines
** President Joe Biden is weighing the possibility of a federal gas-tax holiday as millions of Americans continue to face pain at the pump. “I hope to have a decision based on the data I’m looking for by the end of the week,” Biden told reporters Monday in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, according to CNN. ** Treasury Secretary Janet …
Texas unveils plan for EV charging stations every 50 miles
Using only federal government funds, the state of Texas plans to build electric vehicle charging stations every 50 miles throughout state highways. The Corpus Christi Caller-Times reported the Texas Department of Transportation unveiled a plan to use money from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed last year by congress. Click here for …
Oklahoma Reps voted against Demos lower fuel cost proposal
When the U.S. House passed a Democrat-led bill last week called the Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act, it won approval but not with any support from Oklahoma’s U.S. Representatives. The H.R. 7606 passed on a vote of 221-204. Why did Oklahoma House members vote against it? Rep. Tom Cole issued a statement: “President …
Reports show Pruitt lacking in large campaign account
Former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt isn’t doing so well in his fund-raising of his run for one of Oklahoma’s two U.S. Senate seats. A campaign finance filing he made recently showed he managed to raise about $120,000 in the first two months of his campaign to win the GOP nomination in the June 28 primary. The …
