Rep. Caldwell recognized for his contributions to keeping Oklahoma’s electric energy secure, reliable and affordable
Read MoreThe Alliance for Secure Energy named Rep. Trey Caldwell of Oklahoma’s 63rd district its inaugural Power Player of the Year, an award recognizing a legislator who has significantly contributed to advancing secure, reliable, and affordable energy policies in Oklahoma. Leaders from the Alliance for Secure Energy, along with constituents and other distinguished guests, celebrated Caldwell’s contributions to energy policy at the Lawton Country Club on Tuesday evening.
Read MoreWhen new business comes to the state or a local company seeks to expand production and capacity, Oklahoma’s reliable, affordable and secure energy is the unsung hero. With the seventh-lowest costs in the nation and a trusted and regulated grid, Oklahoma has created an energy landscape ripe for business investment ― and it’s one we need to protect as we build Oklahoma’s future.
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 MoreOklahoma’s economy thrives on a secure, affordable, reliable electric energy system. This system is made possible by the diligent work of regulators, policymakers, and local electric companies. They provide tailored solutions that support industries, businesses, and households, driving progress and boosting productivity.
Read MoreOne year after two proposals dealing with so-called “right of first refusal” requirements for certain new electric transmission projects fizzled in the Oklahoma State Senate, a new version that advanced from the House of Representatives has drawn heavy lobbying from proponents and opponents in the upper chamber.
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.
Read MorePresident Reagan famously said, “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.” Texas is living proof, and the most recent evidence is that Texans are shocked to learn they have been overcharged by $12 billion for electricity. No new power plants were built. That $12 billion is pure profit for generators and will be reflected in the bonuses and share buybacks at yearend — and ongoing campaign contributions for many incumbent lawmakers in Austin, the state capital.
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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.
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TWENTY-FIVE YEARS ago, Beacon Hill lawmakers dramatically changed the way electricity is bought and sold in Massachusetts. The old way was devoid of competition, with utilities producing and distributing electricity under the supervision of state regulators. The new approach opened the production of electricity to competition while leaving distribution under the purview of regulated utilities.
Consumers also saw their role change in 1998. Instead of merely taking whatever price regulators set for electricity, they were given a choice. They could buy electricity from retail sellers, they could buy from municipal aggregators, or they could do nothing and let their utility purchase electricity on their behalf. Most consumers took the lazy way out and did nothing.
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Even as the current legislative session winds down, a small interest group continues to misinform Oklahomans, lobbying for deregulating the retail energy market. As a former chair of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, I was charged with regulating utility providers, and I implore our state leaders to critically review such misleading proposals for “choice and competition,” which inherently threaten the state’s low-cost energy relied upon by Oklahoma families and businesses alike.
Electricity is a basic resource; it sustains life and must be consistently, affordably accessed. If Oklahoma moved to restructure electricity, everyone would feel its effects — but seniors and those on limited incomes would feel it most. The regulated electricity sector has controlled price increases, imposed limits on rates and fuel costs, and created opportunities for all customers to engage in the process or be represented by customer advocacy groups. This isn’t guaranteed in a deregulated market.
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Like most people, Noemy Rodriguez never gave much thought to various charges on her electric bill. All she knew was that the $80 a month she was paying Eversource felt like too much.
So when some salespeople knocked on the door of her East Boston apartment a few years ago and said they could sign her up for “a state plan” that would lower her bill, she was intrigued. The two men — one of whom spoke Spanish — also said they were working with the city, so she felt like she could trust them.
“I thought this was going to benefit me,” she said through an interpreter. “I was so ignorant.”
Massachusetts is one of about a dozen states where residents can choose to buy electricity from a supplier other than their default utility. When lawmakers set up this system in the late 1990s, the assumption was that a competitive marketplace would result in lower power prices for customers. But for the most part, the opposite has happened.
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 MoreIn an odd twist, a utility-backed bill changing how electric utilities process rate increases got a full hearing Monday in an unlikely place: the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.
Commission Chairman Todd Hiett, a former House Speaker, called the “informational meeting” to gather input for a possible vote by the three-member commission on its opposition to Senate Bill 1103. After almost three hours of discussion by utility companies, customer groups and staff for the commission’s public utility division, there was no consensus for a commission position on the bill.
The bill is officially titled the Ratepayer Protection Act, but detractors who think it helps the utilities more than customers have called it the “Shareholder Protection Act.”
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 senators have the opportunity to help their constituents’ pocketbooks by voting yes on the Ratepayer Protection Act of 2023, or Senate Bill 1103.
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.
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