As a major winter storm prepared to bear down on Oklahoma with snow and ice and potential power outages, natural gas prices on Thursday slowed their dramatic increases.
But are utilities and state leaders monitoring energy activities to make sure the state does not see a repeat of what happened 5 years ago? They’re not talking.
U.S. natural gas futures at Henry Hub surged by more than 40% this week, driven by the Arctic cold front and the spike in heating demand. Benchmark gas prices were up from $3.40 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) to more than $4.70 per MMBtu as they raced toward their biggest weekly gain in 35 years.
Prices soared 25% on Tuesday and 28% on Wednesday but by mid-Thursday afternoon, they were up about 5% at $5.136 MMbtu. The rising price prompted memories of the 1200% increase in natural gas prices 5 years ago amidst the 2021 Winter Storm Uri.
Following the historic prices that hit Oklahomans in 2021 and resulted in billions of dollars in bonds used by utilities to cover their expenses, Attorney General Gentner Drummond vowed to investigate and eventually filed suit in April 2024 Osage County District Court against two firms, accusing them of price manipulation during the storm.
““It will probably be the most significant lawsuit filed by the state of Oklahoma in its history,” said Drummond in the summer of 2023. He promised to sue after he hired a private law firm to assist with the investigation.
His office is not responding to inquiries and neither are the major utilities as to this week’s storm.
He said he would go after those he claimed “reaped billions of dollars at the expense of Oklahoma families and businesses” during the 2021 Winter Storm Uri.
At the time, Drummond said, ““The magnitude of this scheme is staggering and unconscionable,” and he vowed to do everything in his power to “return what was taken and to hold accountable those responsible.”
His lawsuits were against Symmetry Energy Solutions (CJ-24-78)and ET Gathering (CJ-24-77) and the cases are still making their way before Osage County District Judge Stuart Tate.
In the suit against ET Gathering, some of the most recent filings in 2026 involved attorneys who withdrew from the case. A January 14, 2026 filing was an amended confidentiality agreement.
“The parties agree and the Court finds that certain documents produced in this action may contain trade secrets, confidential research, development or commercial information, proprietary
financial information, operational data, business plans, competitive analyses, or personal confidential information to which certain protections exist under applicable Oklahoma law.”
It was a year ago when Judge Tate denied a move by Symmetry Energy Solutions to dismiss the state’s lawsuit.
“After considering the pleadings, briefs, hearing argument from the respective parties’ counsel of record, and findings of fact and conclusions of law, the Court finds:
1. Venue in Osage County is proper,
2. Oklahoma may plead inconsistent theories of recovery and pursue these theories throughout the trial. While inconsistent judgments or double recovery may not be permissible, a party is not prevented from fully litigating the inconsistent theories at trial,
3. The recovery sought is public in nature and not foreclosed by statutes of limitations,
4. The Petition under the standard of review applicable to a Motion to Dismiss is sufficient.
The motion should be and is hereby DENIED.”
Five years later, questions are raised whether natural gas prices will increase dramatically and whether the Attorney General’s Office is closely monitoring the price advances.
Among the questions.
PSO is coordinating with local emergency management authorities and will continue to provide updates as the situation unfolds. If you have questions related to your PSO power: 1-888-218-3919. Customers can view and manage their energy usage on the PSO website. Cold weather safety tips can be found on the PSO website here.
have requested an additional 200 line workers through our mutual assistance network.
• PSO continually prepares for all types of weather throughout the year and regularly conducts storm drills to ensure the PSO team is ready to respond immediately.
• Site-specific winterization plans have been activated at our power plants to prepare for the coming weather.
• PSO will prioritize protecting the health and safety our customers, the general public and employees during life-threatening cold weather.
• SPP is issuing a Resource Advisory for the entire SPP Balancing Authority area, effective Saturday, January 24 from 12:00 a.m. CT until an anticipated end time of Monday, January 26, at 12:00 p.m. CT. Resource Advisories are still considered Normal Operations, and do not require the public to conserve energy or take any action.
Online Resources
• Outage FAQs
• Cold weather safety tips can be found on the PSO website here with energy savings tips here.
• Storm preparedness before the storm, during the storm, and after the storm.
• PSO process for how we restore power
Safety Messages
• Always assume that any downed utility line is energized with deadly electric current. Stay away from the line and do not touch it with anything. Report it to PSO at 1-888-218-3919.
• Please do not approach crews and utility vehicles you see in your neighborhood to ask when power will be restored. Doing so could jeopardize your safety. Outward vision from the large utility vehicles can be limited. A crew may not see someone who has walked up to their work truck.
• Please note, all restoration estimates are for customers whose property is in condition to receive power. If the electric service entrance (meter loop) to your home or business has been damaged or pulled away from the structure, you will need to have it repaired by a licensed electrician before PSO can re-connect service.
Generator Safety
• Power Outage: If you use a generator, please follow the manufacturer’s operating instructions. Do not operate the unit indoors. Connect appliances directly to the generator’s electric outlets…not to the main electrical panel of your home or business
unless you have had an electric load transfer switch installed to isolate your home’s wiring from PSO’s electric system. Otherwise, you jeopardize the safety of utility workers.
• Evacuation: Before you evacuate your house please disconnect (open) your home’s main electrical breaker after you turn off the generator. This will eliminate any possibility of the generator feeding power back into PSO’s electric system.
Report and Track Outages
• Visit psoklahoma.com/outages/report/ or call 1-888-218-3919 to report an outage, safety hazard like a downed wires, downed poles or trees that have fallen on power lines.
• Use the mobile app, available for download via the App Store or Google Play, report an outage, check outage status, view and pay your bill, manage your account, and more.
• Visit PSOklahoma.com/OutageMap to find detailed information without logging into your account.
• Sign up for text and email updates, including estimated time of restoration, at psoklahoma.com/alerts. Follow @PSOklahoma on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Nextdoor for additional updates.
• Call PSO Customer Service Center at 1-888-218-3919 for any other customer service issues.
Five low- and no-cost energy-saving cold weather tips for customers:
1. Adjust the temperature in your home when no one is home or when everyone is asleep. Set thermostats as low as appropriate for staying healthy and comfortable.
Lowering the temperature on your thermostat by just a couple of degrees can result in significant long-term savings.
2. Replace your air filters to keep your HVAC system and thermostat(s) working well as you heat your home. Dirty air filters can restrict airflow, making your system work harder and
less effective.
3. Seal leaks to stop drafts. No one likes a cold draft on a winter day. Air leaks can cause your home to lose 25% or more of the energy used to heat it! Doors are the #1 culprit, so use door seals and door sweeps to stop cold air in its tracks. But don’t stop there; check keyholes, ceiling light fixtures, and fireplace mantels to see if you can spot other places your heat could be escaping and seal them accordingly.
4. Use your curtains. Open your curtains and blinds during daylight hours to allow the sun to naturally heat your home. Close your curtains and blinds when the sun goes down to act as a barrier and prevent cold chills from cooling your home.
5. Adjust the temperature of your water heater. After heating and cooling systems, water heaters are the second-highest source of energy usage in a home. Whether you use it or not, your water heater continually reheats water to a set temperature, 24/7. Lowering the temperature on your water heater by just a few degrees can save you a couple of dollars on your monthly energy bills.