Even as three state legislators attempt to block Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett from voting on rate cases for OGE, ONG and PSO, Hiett was prepared Wednesday to cast a vote on a $127 million rate hike for Oklahoma Gas and Electric. But it didn’t happen because of a difference of opinion with Commission chair Kim David.
The two disagreed on one aspect of OGE’s $126.6 million rate hike that temporarily took effect in June but has yet to receive a permanent vote from the state’s three regulators. Because of their differences of opinions, it means the issue was delayed and no vote was taken.
The delay in a vote was prompted over the issue of about 30 OG&E customers who use more than one megawatt of electricity outside of the utility’s area of service. As the Journal Record detailed, Commissioner David wanted a final order but Commissioner Hiett supported an interim order. The two agreed to disagree and delayed a vote.
Both commissioners had proposed separate orders in the case and had a vote been taken, it would have resulted in Commissioner Hiett voting on the rate hike—something opposed by Reps. Tom Gann, Kevin West and Rick West. They sued Hiett in the State Supreme Court where oral arguments are scheduled for Nov. 12 and the attorney they hired is Stephen Jones of Enid.
The trio sued Hiett because of the allegations that led to him stepping down as Chairman of the Commission but not from the Commission itself. The allegations were those in which he allegedly drunkenly groped a man at a bar during a national convention. Hiett claims he doesn’t remember the incident but the man reportedly represents one of the three utilities in queston in cases before the commission.
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