A roadblock to construction of a more than $1 billion solar farm proposed for southern Wyoming has been removed. County officials in Cheyenne have reached a deal with Enbridge, a Canadian energy firm for a payment plan of the $14.5 million need to rebuild a key road to build the $1.2 billion farm …
Category: General
Oklahoma House approves bill to stop higher 2021 winter storm rates
A bill seeking to protect utility customers from paying higher rates because of 2021’s Winter Storm Uri unanimously passed in the Oklahoma House of Representatives on Tuesday. Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore, authored House Bill 1220, which would prohibit municipalities that have franchise agreements with utility companies from assessing those fees and taxes on the securitization amount …
Possible PSO rate increase part of special meetings by Corporation Commissioners
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 …
Energy briefs
** Atlanta overtakes northern Virginia as a hotspot for data center construction, with 2,160 MW worth of development underway in the Georgia metro area. ** As GOP Congress members push to revoke the Biden administration’s ban on offshore drilling, Florida Republicans say they still don’t want drilling off their coast. ** The Trump administration announces …
Senate Committee advances bill following AG’s power grab with Treasurer’s office
Less than a year after Attorney General Gentner Drummond fired an attorney hired by the State Treasurer to defend a lawsuit against Oklahoma’s anti-ESG Act, a State Senate committee approved a measure to give the Treasurer the authority to hire an in-house lawyer. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 8-0 in support of Sen. …
Supreme Court rules against OGE in battle with Corporation Commission
In a split decision, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled in support of an Oklahoma Corporation Commission ruling against OG&E’s attempt in 2018 to provide electrical services outside its certified territory in southeast Oklahoma. It was 5-3 decision by the supreme court with one justice “disqualified” from the appeal brought by Oklahoma Gas and Electric …
Osage County wind farm granted stay as it fights demolition order
The more than 80 wind turbines in Osage County ordered demolished by a federal judge will remain for a while after a federal court granted a stay in the order. Osage Wind, LLC, a subsidiary of Enel Green Power North America sought the stay following a judge’s ruling last year. The company is appealing …
Judge throws out last of Kansas lawsuits filed over 2021 Winter Storm
A Federal Judge in Kansas has dismissed five lawsuits that challenged hundreds of millions of dollars in excess natural gas costs stemming from the 2021 Winter Storm Uri, the same storm that resulted in billions of dollars to be footed by ratepayers in Oklahoma. One of those named in the lawsuits was Kansas Gas …
OPEC+ sends crude oil prices down and OK energy stocks too
Plans by OPEC+ to move ahead with output increases in April along with tit-for-tat tariffs between the U.S., Canada and Mexico sent crude oil prices falling again on Tuesday. Both Brent and WTI settled close to multi-month lows. West Texas Intermediate crude fell 11 cents or 0.2% to close at $68.26 after previously dropping …
Thousands lost electrical power following severe weather in southern Oklahoma
(Courtesy KFOR TV News) By Tuesday afternoon, some 7,800 customers of Oklahoma Gas and Electric remained without electric power following severe weather Monday night and Tuesday morning in southern Oklahoma. Several hours later, OGE said 57% of those who lost power had it restored. The utility said as of Tuesday night, about …