Oklahoma Corporation Commissioners plan not one but two special meetings on Thursday including an administrative hearing on a PSO request that might mean higher bills for ratepayers.
The first will begin at 9:30 a.m. and one item will pertain to bills in the legislature that might affect the regulatory agency. One such measure is House Bill 2603 which would create the Motor Carrier Public Safety Enforcement Act and would transfer powers from the Corporation Commission to the Department of Public Safety.
Under the bill by Reps. Dick Lowe and Darrell Weaver, the Public Safety Department would be put in charge of “complete administration and authority over roadside investigation and enforcement as well as investigation and enforcement at fixed facilities, as defined by Section 1201 of Title 47 of the Oklahoma Statutes, with respect to the Motor Carrier Laws.”
The commission might take a vote on a statement or direction to Commission staff regarding the bill.
A second special meeting will be held at 1:30 p.m. but no vote by commissioners is expected.
An Administrative Law Judge will hold a hearing into the application of Public Service Company for approval of its $730 million purchase of The Green Country natural gas combined-cycle generation plant located in Jenks. PSO’s acquisition was annouonced last September and testimony on file at the Corporation Commission indicated it could lead to a 3.84% total bill increase while residential customers would pay $7.24 or 5.44% more on their monthly bills.
In announcing the acquisition last fall, the utility said the gas plant would meet customers’ projected power needs using an existing local facility while supporting the Oklahoma economy.
“Adding this natural gas facility to our fleet allows us to serve our customers efficiently and reliably without the need to construct a new plant,” said PSO President and Chief Operating Officer Leigh Anne Strahler in the announcement. “PSO’s purchase of this cost-effective, local resource is a win for our customers and for the community.”
If approved, the existing 41-acre facility would add 795 megawatts (MW) of long-term power to PSO’s generation mix by June 2025, which primarily includes renewable energy and natural gas. PSO entered into an agreement to purchase the plant from J-Power, a 50/50 joint venture between a Tokyo-based entity and John Hancock Infrastructure Fund, in June 2024.