Just as we reported this week about the expanding growth of utililty rate hikes around the country, AARP Oklahoma announced it intends to host an interactive telephone town hall and focus on rate hike proposes from two of the state’s largest utilities.
The September 17 townhall, starting at 10 a.m. will take aim only at the rate hikes sought by Public Service Company of Oklahoma and Oklahoma Gas & Electric. AARP points out that if approved by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, the rate hikes would cost customers $344 million dollars or anywhere from $10 to $16 more a month.
The PSO $218 million rate hike request would cost residential customers an additional $16 a month, or $190 a year. The Corporation Commission is also considering a settlement in the OG&E rate case filed earlier this year for an initially proposed $332 million utility rate increase. If approved, the settlement terms would reduce the rate hike to $126 million, increasing the average residential customer’s bill $9.58 a month, or nearly $115 a year.
The panelists for the interactive town hall include Sean Voskuhl, AARP Oklahoma State Director, and A.J. Singer.