November 26, 2024 archive

Scott Mitchell talks energy with Jerry Bohnen—a $127 million Thanksgiving rate hike for OGE ratepayers

Just what you wanted for Thanksgiving—a $127 million OGE rate hike! It’s the focus of our latest podcast of Scott Mitchell talks energy with Jerry Bohnen. It’s also a lively discussion of the latest allegations made against Corporation Commissioner Todd Hiett and continued efforts to keep him from voting on rate cases.

Highway construction projects to affect Holiday traffic in Oklahoma

  Highway construction projects are causing a long list of traffic challenges this Thanksgiving Holiday in Olahoma. The projects will affect holiday travel on interstates, major highways and turnpikes from Thursday, Nov. 28 through Sunday, Nov. 29. If you’re traveling, you might want to consider how the projects affect your travel plans. Oklahoma City Metro …

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Ceasefire agreed to by Israel sends crude oil prices slipping

    Israel’s agreement to a ceasefire deal with Lebanon sent crude oil prices slipping on Tuesday. Prices dropped as a sign that oil’s risk premium was reduced. It came after Israel’s security cabinet agreed to the ceasefire and the accord is expected to take effect Wednesday. West Texas Intermediate finished down 17 cents or …

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Judge freezes Arkansas crypto mining law forbidding foreign ownership

    A fight has broken out in Arkansas over the constitutionality of two laws that prohibit foreign ownership of digital data centers or crypto mines. The 2023 and 2024 laws were challenged by Qimin “Jimmy Chen”, described by Arkansas Business as a naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in China. As a result of …

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US crude oil production established a record in August 2024

An average of 13.4 million barrels per day (b/d) of crude oil was produced in the United States during August 2024, a new record according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Petroleum Supply Monthly. More crude oil was produced in the United States during August 2024 than during December 2023, when the previous …

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Grain Belt Express line gets nearly $5 billion government loan guarantee

  The government this week approved a nearly $5 billion conditional loan guarantee to the developer of the nearly 800 mile long Grain Belt Express line designed to carry wind-powered electricity from Southwest Kansas and across Missouri and Indiana to Illinois. The Energy Department’s Loan Program Office announced the $4.9 billion condition loan guarantee but …

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Proposed expanded Southwest Power Pool plan gains 4 Arizona utilities

  The Southwest Power Pool’s plan to expand its energy market in a program called Markets+ is gaining four utilities in Arizona. It was announced this week that Arizona Public Service, Salt River Project,Tucson Electric Power and UniSource Energy Services will join the program when it launches in 2027. The Power Pool, made up of …

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New Mexico studies possibility of re-use of oil and gas wastewater

    New Mexico leaders think they have a serious plan to allow the reuse of treated oil and gas wastewater. They’ve just published a study as part of a proposal by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to adopt a 50-year water plan funded with a $500 million cash infusion. Click here for Santa Fe New …

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Commissioner reveals more allegations against Todd Hiett

    Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Bob Anthony,, the elected official who has called for Commissioner Todd Hiett to resign in the wake of serious sexual abuse and drunkenness allegations against him, recently raised more such reports against Hiett. One such report made to Anthony also involves another man, similar to the June incident in Minnesota …

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Buc-ee’s goes to court

  Buc-ee’s, the convenience store outlet with stores throughout the country but not in Oklahoma, has gone to court again over a firm with a similar name. The Texas-based company has sued Duckees, a convenience and liquor store in Kansas City. It’s not the first such kind of lawsuit brought by Buck-ee’s. In 2018, it …

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