The fast growth of artificial intelligence data centers across the U.S. has prompted Houston-based NRG Energy to build four new natural gas power plants across the country including some in Texas. Each plant will be able to produce more than 5 gigawatts. NRG Executive Vice President Robert Gaudette said the four natural gas …
Category: General
Snow removal from state highways up to $12 million in costs
Maybe it’s a good thing spring is just around the corner in Oklahoma because the state has already spent nearly $12 million on the winter weather response. Oklahoma Transportation Executive Director Tim Gatz briefed ODOT commissioners this week on the snow-removal efforts of the department’s road crews. He said since October 2024, ODOT has …
Supreme Court hears arguments in nuclear waste sites in Texas and New Mexico
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week whether to go ahead with renwed plans to temporarily store nuclear waste at sites in west Texas and southeast New Mexico. As the Assocciated Press report, the justices decided to hear a challenge by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and a private company with a license for …
Energy briefs
** The U.S. Senate environment committee on Wednesday weighed the confirmation of Aaron Szabo to be the EPA’s assistant administrator for Air and Radiation and David Fotouhi to be deputy administrator – two key roles that would lead any efforts to unwind the endangerment finding. ** Los Angeles County files a lawsuit against Southern California …
Mitchell talks energy with Jerry Bohnen—a possible PSO rate hike?
Lots to talk about on this latest edition of Scott Mitchell talks energy with Jerry Bohnen. How about a possible rate hike for PSO? Or an end to consumer lawsuits over the 2021 winter storm in Kansas? Then there’s the legislature and its focus on a number of energy issues.
Crude oil prices dropped more than 2% for a fourth straight day of losses
The larger-than-expected build in U.S. crude oil stockpiles, including those at Oklahoma’s Cushing Hub sent crude oil prices down for a fourth consecutive session on Wednesday. Adding to the pressure were worries of investors about the plans of OPEC+ to increase output next month. West Texas Intermediate crude finished down $1.95 or 2.86% to …
Caldwell’s utility bill wins second House committee approval
Rep. Trey Caldwell’s utility bill, the one that some have called a Right of First Refusal bill but he says isn’t, won overwhelming support Wednesday in an Oklahoma House Committee. The House Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted 13-2 to send HB2747 to the full House for consideration. Under Caldwell’s bill, the Corporation Commission …
Last rites for “Chevon Deference” in Oklahoma House
The Oklahoma House of Representatives on Monday passed legislation to eliminate the “doctrine of Chevron deference,” a legal test that limited courts’ ability to interpret ambiguous administrative rules. In June 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Chevron deference, which directed courts to defer to an agency’s interpretation of administrative rules rather than independently determining …
Crude stocks grow at Cushing Hub and the nation
In another move that likely will impact crude oil prices in the U.S., data shows gains in crude stocks across the nation including at the Cushing Hub in northern Oklahoma. The Cushing Hub saw a gain of 1.1 million barrels of crude oil as of the week of Feb. 28, 2025 when it …
Carbon capture project in deep trouble in South Dakota
Eminent domain, the subject of anti-renewal energy projects and transmission lines in Oklahoma is also the focus of similar movements in upper MidWestern states. Summit Carbon Solutions, the Ames, Iowa-based firm that wants to build a nearly $9 billion carbon capture pipeline across Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota just ran into …