After reporting profits of $878 million last year, largely in part to rate hikes, Evergy wants another rate hike approved by Kansas Corporation Commissioners. Just as rate hikes aren’t well received by consumers and ratepayers of Oklahoma utilities, this request isn’t either in Kansas. It’s the headlines in some Kansas news outlets as …
Category: General
EV Tax credits targeted under bill to be voted on Thursday in the House
The big beautiful bill pushed by President Trump and set to be voted on Thursday in the U.S. House includes a number of green energy rollbacks implemented by the Biden administration. It is anticipated to be a close vote as Republicans have only slim control of the House. If it passes, among those …
Wind setback bill is ‘dead’ in legislature says Senate leader
The bill calling for a setback of wind turbines from adjacent property and nearby homes has officially been declared dead by Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton. He explained this week after Senate Bill 2 did not get any further legislative review in the session. Senate Bill 2, as introduced, originally aimed to impose setback …
Slight dip in crude oil prices on Tuesday
Tuesday’s trading brought little change for crude oil prices but both benchmarks registered small declines fo the day as the world waited to see what might come out of the US and Iran negotiations as well as the peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. At the same time, investors were influenced by a cautious …
Specialized broadband grants cancelled for Oklahoma and other states
The Oklahoma Broadband Office indicates it will not see a negative impact with the U.S. Commerce Department decision last week to terminate the $1.44 billion Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program. “There will be no negative impact on projects administered by the office. We received notification about a week ago,” stated Tim Allen, Communications Director …
Corporation Commissoners to continue hearing into PSO power plant acquisition
Oklahoma Corporation Commissioners will continue their hearing Wednesday into the controversial request of Public Service Company for preapproval of its $730 million acquisition of the Green Country Power Plant in Jenks. PSO wants authority to pass along a total of $753 million in costs to ratepayers, claiming the power plant is needed to meet …
Hurricane forecast predicts more storms than usual and refineries will be at risk
A forecast for the approaching national hurricane season claims there will be more hurricanes this year than the 1991-2020 average with an estimated 17 named storms. And many of those could have an impact on the U.S. oil refinery production. The historical average is 14 storms, according to Colorado State University’s hurricane forecast …
Increase expected in Memorial Day travel in Oklahoma
A forecast from AAA indicates nearly 3% more Oklahomans plan on traveling this coming Memorial Day holiday. At the same time, air travel will cost more than a year ago while gasoline prices are cheaper during the same time period. AAA is projecting strong travel volume for the upcoming Memorial Day holiday …
$2 billion incentive for foreign aluminum plant approved in Senate committee
After first being defeated in Committee on Monday, a $255 million incentive package for Emirates Global Aluminum’s $4 billion aluminum smelter proposed for the Port of Inola won approval Monday night. But only after a lot of political arm twisting. The measure, HB 2781, was first defeated by the Senate Joint Committee on Appropriations …
Latest private meeting of Corporation Commissioners focused on legislature
After Oklahoma Corporation Commissioners recently held a public video meeting between offices in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, they then gathered in their latest non-public meeting. It was private discussion of how to respond to some legislative matters. The commission’s latest Open Meeting Act Exempt Event Compliance Form shows the three commissioners met privately …