SWEPCO Rate Hike Sparks Outrage at Arkansas Hearing Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO)—a utility that purchases a significant portion of its power from Oklahoma wind projects—now faces intense criticism from customers after the company attempted to raise electric rates by nearly 14%. Customers Blast SWEPCO’s Request at Public Hearing Ratepayers confronted SWEPCO officials during a …
Category: Solar Energy in Oklahoma
Energy briefs
** U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum says New England and California are to blame for their own high electricity rates because of policies that drove fossil fuel power plants to close, and also says the states’ use of imported oil makes them national security risks. ** An oversight group for PJM Interconnection calls on the …
Gov. Stitt’s NGA takes a stand on grid plans
Led by Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, the National Governors Association came out this week with a statement regarding the nation’s grid and efforts to keep up with rapid AI growth, advanced manufacturing investments and rising freight and passenger movements. Stitt assumed the office of President in July. Governors from across the country have long recognized the …
Energy Brief: Trump Ends Fuel Rules, LNG Push Grows
U.S. POLICY • Trump Administration Ends Biden-Era Fuel Economy RulesPresident Trump rolled back fuel economy rules that he claims created an “EV mandate” after former President Joe Biden imposed stricter fuel economy standards last year. Trump said the administration was officially terminating Biden’s “ridiculous” CAFE rules, claiming car prices would come down in response to …
Energy Brief: TSA ID Fee, Targa Deal and Exxon Hydrogen Exit
TSA Rolls Out $45 Identity Verification Option for Travelers The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced that beginning February 1, 2026, any passenger who does not present an acceptable form of ID but still wants to fly will have the option to pay a $45 fee to complete identity confirmation through its modernized system, TSA Confirm.ID.Under …
Texas solar firms under investigation for ties to China
Texas Launches Probe Into Solar Firms After Fox News Report Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced that state lawmakers will investigate two solar companies after a Fox News investigation reported both firms have corporate connections to Chinese solar giants. The companies under review include T1 Energy, based in Austin, and Canadian Solar, headquartered in Ontario …
Energy Brief: U.S. Grid Risks & Data Center Expansion
Energy Brief: U.S. Grid Risks & Data Center Expansion A U.S. House committee will examine electric-grid vulnerabilities — Lawmakers seek bipartisan solutions for reliability threatsA congressional committee will hold a hearing this week on potential grid weaknesses, an issue that could generate rare bipartisan agreement as both parties acknowledge rising reliability concerns driven by extreme …
Energy briefs
** El Paso, Texas’ municipal electric utility seeks a rate increase from state regulators to pay off $1.55 billion in capital investments, while gas and water utilities also seek rate hikes that could lead to city residents paying an additional $45 in monthly utility bills. ** Washington state regulators fine BP $3.8 million over a …
Energy briefs
** President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday establishing the “Genesis Mission,” a federal effort to boost innovation using artificial intelligence — the latest step by the administration to promote AI technology and its adoption. The effort aims to better coordinate research done by agencies across the government and more effectively integrate AI tools to achieve …
Energy briefs DOE,COP30 ends, Rosneft
** A DOE official says the federal government plans to buy and own as many as 10 large nuclear reactors, which it could pay for in part with $550 billion in promised investment from Japan. ** The Trump administration has ordered the J.H. Campbell coal-fired power plant in Michigan to stay open for the next …