Oklahoma has a distinct advantage in the affordable and reliable energy it provides for businesses, industry and families. With the passage of SB 998, our state is even better equipped to invest in critical energy infrastructure while saving electric customers millions of dollars on new generation.
Read MoreWith the conclusion of the first half of the 60th Oklahoma Legislature, energy policy was a top issue addressed by the legislature and state leadership. Energy policy written into law this session will help advance Oklahoma by promoting savings in electric costs as well as make Oklahoma more competitive in recruiting business and expanding our home-grown companies.
Read MoreKeep our electricity secure, reliable, and affordable —support economic development in Oklahoma!
Read MoreRep. Caldwell recognized for his contributions to keeping Oklahoma’s electric energy secure, reliable and affordable
Read MoreOn Tuesday, June 18, people across Oklahoma will vote in the primary elections for their party’s candidate for the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. The Alliance for Secure Energy is endorsing a candidate with 40 years of experience in the oil and gas industry and more than 20 years of service to our state. We encourage you to share your support at the polls.
Read MoreThe Oklahoma News Report, hosted by Rich Lenz, is a weekly in-depth exploration of news and issues affecting all Oklahomans, featuring topical information and meaningful stories that provide context and meaning to educate and engage every citizen across the state. For more information about The Oklahoma News Report, visit https://www.OETA.tv/onr.
Read MoreOklahoma's economy relies heavily on the ability of regulators and policymakers to ensure secure, affordable, and reliable electric energy. Local electric companies play a vital role in supporting industries, businesses and households, driving progress and boosting productivity.
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We commend Oklahoma Attorney General Drummond's decisive actions in issuing a subpoena to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. This investigation is a vital step towards ensuring that the retail gas marketers who exploited the unprecedented fuel demand during Winter Storm Uri are held accountable for their actions. It is imperative that these individuals and companies, who unfairly profited at the expense of families and businesses, face appropriate consequences. Utilities do not set fuel prices and, by law, must generate electricity. During the historic storm, utilities mobilized national resources to maintain and restore power.
Read MoreWhile it is disappointing that SB 1103, the Ratepayer Protection Act of 2023, did not receive a floor vote before the deadline, I am encouraged by the conversation to protect Oklahomans from price shocks, mandate cost-saving programs and increase resiliency during future weather events through increased fuel storage. Significant policy changes like SB 1103 are difficult to achieve. They take time. I appreciate our legislative leaders' work to improve our state's energy policy. The Alliance for Secure Energy looks forward to continuing our advocacy to support practical and forward-looking solutions that will protect and fortify the affordable, reliable power Oklahomans expect and deserve.
Read MoreSeven minutes after his unusual meeting about SB 1103 began Monday, Oklahoma Corporation Commission Chairman Todd Hiett learned that four pages of 30 wording changes had been filed in a floor amendment to the controversial bill regarding electric utility regulation.
Hiett, who last week sent out notice of Monday’s special meeting to discuss SB 1103, was visibly aggravated when he found out the amendments were filed shortly after his meeting began.
“I’m very disappointed in the handling of the legislation and the fact that the filing of an amended bill happened during this hearing that had been posted for many, many days,” Hiett said.
Read MoreOklahoma lawmakers recognized that HB 1602, the electric deregulation bill that died in committee Thursday, would dismantle our state’s cost and reliability protections for Oklahoma electricity consumers, who largely oppose restructuring. HB 1602 is backed by a group of third-party gas marketers called the Alliance for Electrical Restructuring in Oklahoma (AERO) that would stand to profit from the chaos and confusion that would come from uncoupling transmission and distribution. We commend lawmakers for unmasking the real consequences for Oklahoma ratepayers who want more, not less oversight on rates and investments utilities make to the grid.
Read MoreI am pleased that Pro Tem Treat’s SB 1103 advanced out of the Oklahoma Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee today. If passed into law, this legislation will protect consumers by creating greater accountability at the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) and stabilizing rates at a time when fuel prices are making electricity more costly.
Read MoreHB 1602, proposed today by Rep. Ryan Martinez, promises to “introduce choice” for electric customers by creating competition between providers by breaking apart generation, transmission and retail distribution into separately operated businesses, also known as deregulation or electric restructuring. We know from polling conducted as recently as this week that Oklahomans remain overwhelmingly opposed to deregulation.
Read MoreI’m troubled by AERO’s blatant misrepresentation of Oklahoma as having the highest electricity rates in our region. This is simply untrue. Reports released by the Public Utility Commission of Texas clearly show that Texas’ deregulated prices are continuing to climb at a dramatically higher rate than Oklahoma’s when comparing 2021 rates to 2022 rates. While Oklahoma electricity prices are at 10.87 cents, Texas is seeing prices between 20 and 30 cents, and some service areas are seeing as much as 150% increase.
Read MoreIn deregulated states, customers are turned into de facto natural-gas forecasters, gambling on the direction of highly volatile markets when it’s time to renew their contracts.
Millions of Americans are being forced to bet on power and natural-gas prices at a time when even seasoned professionals are unsure where highly volatile markets are headed.
Read MoreA group of third-party energy marketers, or 'middlemen,' is attempting to manufacture a problem for Oklahoma.
These middlemen are the founders of a new group called Alliance for Electrical Restructuring in Oklahoma (AERO) that is seeking to deregulate Oklahoma’s electric industry. Recently, AERO’s executive director, Mike Boyd, wrote an op-ed alleging Oklahoma utilities Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co. (OG&E) and Public Service Corp. of Oklahoma (PSO) 'wildly overpaid for the natural gas' during Winter Storm Uri in February 2021.
Read MoreOn Aug. 4, 2000, Governor Tom Ridge (R) announced that electric competition would lead to job growth, economic expansion, and decreased rates… This Electric Fantasyland never materialized. To the contrary, electric companies collected $11.4 billion in “stranded costs” (mostly for uneconomical nuclear plants), shifted taxes to municipalities and school districts, and dumped customers at record rates.
Read MoreThe regulated electric utilities in Oklahoma include - Oklahoma Gas and Electric, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, Liberty Utilities and 5 electric cooperatives.
State law prevents the Commission from regulating any electric utility operated by a governmental entity, such as the Grand River Dam Authority, or cities, which are members of the Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority.