A turnaround for crude oil futures on Wednesday came after action by the Federal Reserve in an attempt to solve the nation’s growing inflation rate. Oklahoma energy stocks also saw gains for the day. As U.S. benchmark stock indexes rose following the Reserve’s decision to speed up tapering of asset purchases and increase the …
Corporation Commissioners face criticism for not protecting consumers from utility rate hikes
A coalition representing consumers in Oklahoma contends the Oklahoma Corporation Commission has failed in protecting consumers after the historic February winter storm left utilities with out-of-sight gas bills. Writing in the Wednesday edition of The Oklahoman, representatives of VOICE made the point that regulators have been more concerned about getting funds to utilities …
EV map and Build Back Better
In unveiling a massive multi-billion electric vehicle charging map this week, the Biden Administration said it planned on a network of 500,000 EV chargers in the U.S. and that includes efforts in Oklahoma. The pro-union announcement by Vice President Harris stated that under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Oklahoma would receive $66 million …
Kansas county bans commercial wind farms
A ban on commercial wind development in all zoned areas of Reno County, Kansas was adopted this week by county commissioners. The vote came as a countywide moratorium on commercial wind development remains in place for the next few months reported the Hutchinson News. Click here for Hutchinson News.
Acquisition of Kansas City Southern RR moves ahead
Canadian Pacific’s $31 billion acquisition of Kansas City Southern railroad is moving ahead after nearly being derailed earlier in the year amidst a bidding war. The Associated Press reports Canadian Pacific set up a voting trust this week after shareholders of both railroads approved the acquisition last week. Click here for AP story.
Other energy headlines for Thursday
** Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said on Tuesday that the Biden administration will not ban crude oil exports, despite a push from some Democrats to do so. Speaking before the National Petroleum Council – an advisory board made up of oil industry figures – Granholm said, “We are not considering reinstating the ban on exports.” ** Construction has started on a roughly …
Another refinery acquired by HollyFrontier
HollyFrontier, the Texas company with oil refineries in Tulsa, Kansas, New Mexico and other states recently expanded its holdings with the $350 million cash acquisition of Equilon Enterprises LLC Puget Sound Refinery near Anacortes, Washington. Equilon does business as Shell Oil Products U.S., a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell plc. The agreement covers the …
New Mexico legislators argue against utility’s request
Some New Mexico State Senators are urging state regulators to deny Public Service Company of New Mexico’s request to transfer ownership share of a coal plant to a Navajo Nation-owned company. Click here for The Paper.
Defend the Blend Act introduced by ethanol supporting Senators
Republican and Democratic Senators from biofuel states have introduced legislation to fight the EPA in its plan to retroactively lower 2020 biofuel blending targets. They call it the Defend the Blend Act and it was introduced by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and cosponsored by Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), would prohibit lowering the minimum …
Delta Air Lines says goodbye to more regional airports
Delta Air Lines this week confirmed that, effective January 10, it is suspending service to: Grand Junction Regional Airport, Colorado Lincoln Airport, Nebraska The carrier’s seasonal service to Yellowstone Regional Airport in Cody, Wyoming, has been suspended as of October 2021 as well according to a report by AFAR.
