OKLAHOMA CITY — OG&E customers may soon see a bill hike.
Republished in partnership with Oklahoma Voice under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Oklahoma Voice is a part of States Newsroom which is a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oklahoma Voice maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Janelle Stecklein for questions: [email protected]. Follow Oklahoma Voice on Facebook and Twitter.
The public utility is asking the three-member Oklahoma Corporation Commission to approve a $332 million rate hike annually.
If approved, the average residential customer will see an increase of $19.02 per month compared to current rates, according to documents the utility filed with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission on Dec. 29.
The panel considers rate increase requests.
For residential customers, it is about a 13.85% increase in their monthly bill, according to the company.
The utility expects the new rates to take effect no later than July if approved.
“Happy New Year 2024 unless you are an OG&E customer,” said Sean Voskuhl, AARP Oklahoma state director. “On the heels of back-to-back-to-back rate hikes, OG&E is again back at the trough.”
The company serves 821,000 customers in Oklahoma.
“The majority of this rate review includes new technologies like grid automation that can reroute power during outages, new substation construction to support our growing service area, storm response, and electric grid hardening to improve reliability for our customers and strengthen the grid against the extreme weather that impacts Oklahoma,” said Christi Woodworth, OG&E vice president of marketing and communications.
Meanwhile, PSO has also given notice it intends to seek a rate adjustment, but hasn’t as of Wednesday released details.
“The team at PSO shares our customers’ concerns about rising costs, and we are committed to working efficiently to maintain affordability,” said Wayne Greene, PSO region communications manager.
Republished in partnership with Oklahoma Voice under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Oklahoma Voice is a part of States Newsroom which is a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oklahoma Voice maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Janelle Stecklein for questions: [email protected]. Follow Oklahoma Voice on Facebook and Twitter.
Barbara Hoberock is a senior reporter with Oklahoma Voice. She has covered the statehouse since 1994 and served as Tulsa World Capitol Bureau chief. Hoberock covers statewide elected officials, the legislature, agencies, state issues, appellate courts and elections.
