A recent disclosure of a non-public meeting held by Oklahoma Corporation Commissioners shows they attempted to reach out to Rep. Trey Caldwell before voting this week against his proposed energy bills, HB2747 and SB998.
Both are similar in nature and focus on an attempt to force the regulators to approve electric-generating projects that rely on natural gas for power.
Commissioner Todd Hiett, who led the opposition to the bills during a public meeting on Tuesday, emailed Rep. Caldwell on Monday and suggested some amendments to SB998. He said the amended SB998 “may accomplish your stated goal of incentivizing the use of natural gas in the production of electricity while minimizing, but not eliminating, the risks of increased cost for electric consumers.”
Hiett continued that he would prefer no deregulation of electric monopolies and added, “if you feel strongly about deregulation to incentivize the use of natural gas, I implore you to consider these amendments.”
He had apparently held a discussion with Rep. Caldwell, and referenced it in the email communication. During the public meeting on Tuesday, Hiett said Section 2 of SB998 had nothing to do with natural gas and included the same conclusion in his email to the Republican legislator from Faxon.
Commission Chair David especially was upset about Rep. Caldwell’s recent attack on the Corporation Commission in which he suggested it was a “bureaucratic” agency that need “direction” from the legislature. She said she had constitutional concerns about the impact the legislation could have on the Commission and didn’t appreciate “going around the Commission.” At one point in her response, David, a former state Senate leader, said she was tired of being slandered in the building across the street.
Commissioner Hiett also expressed opposition to the legislation, suggesting it would probably would not result in savings for consumers. He also pointed to Kansas where the legislature last year approved a new law similar to HB2747 and SB998. Hiett claimed the new law immediately prompted one utility in Kansas to file requests for $3.4 billion in two natural gas plants and opponents were having difficult legal efforts in challenging the proposals.
The closed-meeting on April 15 involved all three commissioners, Hiett, Kim David and Brian Bingman. Its purpose was to “identifying legislative changes, proposed or passed, and their effects on the Corporation Commission.” They identifed the bills in question as: HB1934, HB2603, SB998, HB2747, SB480, HB1374, SB132, SB2, HB2751, SB995 and HB2728.
Commissioners were also given an update from Administrator Brandy Wreath about “potential changes in implementation of OMES approval processes for agency needs.”
Those listed as attending the meeting in addition to the commissioners were: Brandy Wreath, (Director of Administration), Travis Weeden (Legislative Liason), and Scott Irwin (Policy Advisor), Jeff Kline (Legal Advisor to Commissioner David), Erica O’Neal (Regulatory Assistant/Paralegal to Commissioner David), Nicole King (Legal Advisor to Commissioner Hiett), Jared Haines, (Administrative Aide to Commissioner Bingman), and Louis Jackson (Advisor and Assistant to Commissioner Bingman).