** A U.S. district court granted the federal government’s request to indefinitely pause a trial concerning a major petrochemical plant in Louisiana, despite the Biden administration’s insistence that the facility poses an imminent health threat. ** Over the past week, some new Tesla Cybertruck owners have taken to social media to complain about what they say …
Following Oklahoma’s expansion of broadband service
An update where Oklahoma’s efforts to expand broadband service to more than 55,000 homes and businesses will be given Wednesday to the Oklahoma Broadband Expansion Council. The Council will meet Wednesday morning at 10 o’clock in the State Library and members will receive reports regarding the progress on broadband infrastructure expansion projects in 57 …
Billions more added to Biden’s national water plan—Oklahoma’s share $33 million
Of the nearly $6 billion in more funding for water infrastructure projecs announced Tuesday by the Biden administration, Oklahoma will receive a reported $33,407,000. Allocations from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will go to all 50 states, bringing the total awarded for water infrastructure projects to $22 billion reported the Associated Press. Oklahoma’s …
CenterPoint Energy unloads assets in Mississippi and Louisiana in $1.2 billion deal
CenterPoint Energy, the Houston-based company with operations throughout Oklahoma, announced this week it plans to sell its natural gas assets in Louisiana and Mississippi in a $1.2 billion agreement with Bernhard Capital partners. The electricity and gas utility instead indicated it plans to focus on its regulated business. It’s a move similar to …
Biden reportedly set to approve year-round sales of E15 gasoline
If the report by Reuters is correct, the governors of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin will be celebrating. Their campaign to get approval of year-round sales of gasoline with higher blends of ethanol will reportedly be approved by the White House. But Reuters says two sources familiar with discussions …
What does a bank’s return of $250,000 mean in the scope of the winter bonds story in Oklahoma?
The impact of a reimbursement of $250,000 by a bank that overcharged for its underwriting of winter storm bonds for an Oklahoma utility. What does it mean. Scott Mitchell and Jerry Bohnen talk about it in their latest edition of Mitchell Talks Energy. Just click the start arrow and listen to their lively discussion. …
Crude oil rose Monday over Middle East tension
While Monday was a holiday in the U.S. and the markets were closed, global crude oil prices managed a slight increase and analysts credited the continuing worries over the fighting in Gaza and Israel’s standoff with other groups of terrorists. Brent, the global benchmark, gained 9 cents and settled at $83.56 a barrel on …
Anniversary of Winter Storm Uri
Three years ago this week, Oklahoma, Texas and a handful of other states endured what the National Weather Serevice called “one of the most impactful winter events in recent history.” Yes, 2021 Winter Storm Uri. Or at least that’s the name attached to it by the Weather Channel. You remember. Bitter cold, snow, …
National convention in DC to draw Corporation Commissioners and thousands of regulators
Described as the “premiere utility event in DC,” thousands of utility representatives, regulators including Oklahoma’s three Corporation Commissioners and a flood of lobbyists will be in the nation’s capitol in the coming week. It is the annual Winter policy summit of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners and it will be held Sunday, …
Energy quick reads
** A group of truck drivers who support former President Trump have announced they will not be driving to New York City as a means of expressing their disappointment with the civil fraud judgment that fined Trump more than $350 million last week. ** Federal regulators deny proposed pumped hydropower storage projects’ permits on the Navajo Nation and establish …