Oklahoma Corporation Commissioners will meet Wednesday to consider two issues that will affect ratepayers and the public. One is a $120 million rate hike requested by Public Service Company of Oklahoma and the second is the creation of rules regarding an act that allows regulators to meet without notifying the public to discuss certain issues.
The $119.5 million rate hike was whittled down from the original request of $218 million when PSO filed it in late 2023. Since then, PSO’s request was lowered during negotiations and a Joint Settlement led by the Attorney General and several consumer groups.
Matthew Horeled, PSO’s Vice President of Regulatory and Finance, has stated the rate hike will not result in a monthly increase on ratepayers because the utility’s proposed fuel factors will lower the average residential monthly bill by $16.93 which offsets the approximate $12 a month hike.
As OK Energy Today reported in November of 2024, those who agreed to the Joint Settlement included: Those who signed the settlement agreement included:Jack P. Fite, Lauren Willingham, Kenneth A. Tillotson, Deborah R. Thompson, and Anthony Hendricks, Attorneys representing Public Service Company of Oklahoma; Natasha M. Scott, Chief Legal Counsel, Michael L. Velez, EJ Thomas, Michael S. Ryan, and Justin Cullen, Deputy General Counsels representing Public Utility Division, Oklahoma Corporation Commission; A. Chase Snodgrass, Deputy Attorney General, Thomas L. Grossnicklaus, Senior Assistant Attorney General, K. Christine Chevis and Ashley N. Youngblood, Assistant Attorneys General representing Office of Attorney General, State of Oklahoma; Thomas P. Schroedter, Attorney representing Oklahoma Industrial Energy Consumers;
Rick D. Chamberlain, Attorney representing Walmart Inc.;
Kayla D. Dupler, Attorney representing the United States Department of Defense and all other Federal Executive Agencies;
J. David Jacobson, Attorney representing The Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma.
The rate hike was also the target of several filings by former Corporation Commissioner Bob Anthony who called for the resignation of Commissioner Todd Hiett because of incidents surrounding a sexual abuse of a man and public drunkenness.
It will also be the first rate hike to be decided by Anthony’s successor, Brian Bingman who was sworn into office on Monday.
The other key issue to be decided with a possible vote is the creation of rules in which Commissioners will meet a new state law enacted in November of 2024 giving them the ability to meet privately without notifying the public.
Like the PSO rate hike, the new law was also opposed by former Commissioner Bob Anthony because its lack of transparency.
“While the Oklahoma Corporation Commission is subject to the
Oklahoma Open Meeting Act, Corporation Commissioners are exempt from and may discuss administrative, operational, and procedural matters of the Corporation Commission between or among Commissioners, even if a quorum is present, provided the discussions do not address appropriation of Corporation Commission funds and no official action is taken,” quotes the new law.
The new law had the support of the Oklahoma Press Association and cites 11 different exemptions to the Open Meeting Act. The actual rules were to be determined by the Corporation Commissioners in which they are required to make a public posting of the unannounced meeting and the topic or topics of discussion.
The new law states it is also “requiring posting of documentation to website within certain time frame; requiring certain
documentation be posted within certain time prior to
consideration at a public meeting; requiring certain
notice for certain changes to or cancellation of
regularly scheduled meetings; requiring notice be
filed within certain time frame; requiring certain
training be implemented; providing for codification;
and providing an effective date.”
The 11 exemptions from the Open Meeting Act are listed as follows:
1. Scheduling of agenda items to be set before the Corporation
Commission for an emergency, regular, or special meeting;
2. Prioritizing cases pending before the Corporation
Commission;
3. Identifying legislative changes, proposed or passed, and
their effects on the Corporation Commission;
4. Discussing public and media statements;
5. Discussing organizational structure;
6. Discussing internal processes;
7. Discussing staffing needs;
8. Receiving informational updates from Corporation Commission
staff on the business of the Corporation Commission, as long as such updates do not pertain to pending legislative proceedings of the Corporation Commission;
9. Conducting regular staff meetings where discussions of the
day-to-day management of the Corporation Commission occur, as long as such updates do not pertain to pending legislative proceedings of the Corporation Commission;
10. Interviewing potential employees for the position of
Director of Administration and Division Directors; and
11. Assessing performance reviews and duties of the Director of
Administration and Division Directors.
The public meeting will begin at 1:30 p.m.