It took about a year, but Oklahoma hit its coldest weather on Sunday. “Yesterday’s statewide average temperature of 29.5 degrees was the coldest day seen in Oklahoma since Feb. 17, 2024’s, 28.4 degrees,” wrote Oklahoma Mesonet State Climatologist Gary McManus in his Monday report. “Today’s average temps are gonna be off the charts. Well, they’ll still …
Category: General
Energy briefs
** The Biden administration bans new offshore oil and gas drilling on more than 265 million acres of water, including along the entire West Coast and in the Northern Bering Sea in Alaska. ** Alaska economic officials expect the state’s oil and gas sector to gain 600 jobs this year but still remain far below 2014 employment levels. ** …
ERCOT keeps close eye on power needs during cold weather
Obviously not wanting a repeat of what happened during the 2021 Winter Storm Uri, the Texas grid operator, ERCOT issued a weather watch for this week. The grid operator said the forecasted cold weather across its service area would result in higher electrical demand and the potential for lower reserves. So far, grid conditions …
Mitchell Talks Energy focuses on one official’s call for more media cover of regulators
Would MORE media coverage, and FEWER statewide elected officials equal better government in Oklahoma? In this episode we discuss comments from Gov. Stitt and Commissioner Anthony on precisely that issue.
Canoo plans equipment auction in fund-raising effort
Maybe things are worse money-wise for Canoo than the company led the public to believe. A month after furloughing workers at its Oklahoma City plant and pausing operations, the company revealed it intends to auction off some of its engineering and manufacturing equipment this month in California. A company spokesperson explained it is part …
Energy briefs
** Maryland-based Constellation Energy signs a $1 billion deal to provide nuclear power and energy efficiency services to 13 federal agencies, marking the first time the U.S. has used a major energy purchase to support nuclear power as a clean energy source. ** An energy company threatens to sue federal regulators for denying its proposal to expand an Amazon …
Anthony on 36 years as a Corporation Commissioner–“the more things change, the more they remain the same”
As he prepares for his final two meetings as Oklahoma’s longest-serving statewide elected official and the nation’s longest-serving utility regulator, Corporation Commissioner Bob Anthony reflected critically on what has happened over the years at the Commission. On Friday, January 3, he filed an opinion describing some of what has changed and what hasn’t during his …
Transportation Commissioners to meet Monday
The Oklahoma Transportation Commission’s monthly meeting is scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 6, in the R.A. Ward Transportation Building, 200 N.E. 21st St., Oklahoma City. Members of the public and media are invited to attend or watch the livestream video online. Items to be addressed at the meeting: The Oklahoma Department of Transportation will be presented …
Winter storm could bring extended power outages in Kansas
Evergy, the largest electric utility in Kansas is warning if there are power outages because of the first winter storm of 2025, it might take days to restore power. A winter storm warning was issued for the weekend by the National Weather Service and Evergy responded to what the forecast stated. “Heavy mixed …
Colder weather sent crude oil prices higher on Friday
Crude oil prices rose about 1% in Friday’s trading as both benchmarks recorded gains for the day. Analysts credited colder weather, both here and in Europe for sending crude oil prices higher. The economic stimulus announced earlier in the week in China also had a continuing impact. West Texas Intermediate crude rose 83 cents …