The midterm election was not the only consequential vote set for Nov. 3. But Oklahoma Corporation Commissioners ultimately delayed a decision on the Public Service Company of Oklahoma’s request to raise rates. Commissioners will meet again to consider the proposal Thursday.
“We are still working on this order,” said Kim David, the commission’s chair. “It’s an extremely important order, as you guys may have ascertained.”
After hours of deliberation, commissioners agreed they needed more time to consider the proposal that was drafted by Commissioner Brian Bingman’s office at the end of October. It continues to be updated, with commissioners getting a final version about 10 minutes before the Nov. 3 meeting started.
It’s been almost one year since the rate case was filed. Residential customers are still on the hook for interim increases of around $11, and it’s not guaranteed that they will see relief on their electricity bills from PSO refunds.
The exact residential customer impact under Bingman’s proposal is unclear. That number was not shared during the commission meeting, and the proposal does not become part of the public record until a vote is taken on it, according to OCC spokesperson Jack Damrill.
PSO spokesman Matt Rahn said he did not have any residential customer impact numbers to share at this time. The utility company continues to back the settlement agreement proposed by Attorney General Gentner Drummond.
“We appreciate the Commission’s continued consideration as it works toward a final decision,” Rahn said.
One heavy debate: PSO’s request to expand and extend riders, which are the extra charges on your electricity bill that aren’t part of your monthly usage. Those dollars help PSO recover costs it already fronted, and you’re paying for a number of PSO facilities with them now.
Commissioners went back and forth on whether the proposal allowed PSO enough cash on hand to provide reliable electricity while also keeping costs affordable.
“I absolutely agree on us trying to minimize the cost,” David said. “I also know though that the company has to be able to have the ability to build transmission and have the money to build transmission.”
They also debated tax matters. Both commissioners Todd Hiett and Bingman said that they’re not experts on this, and later agreed to table the discussion after an hour-long break.
The large-load tariff was not discussed in the Nov. 3 meeting. It would establish a new rate class for large-load customers putting more than 75 megawatts on the grid — equivalent to at least 30,000 homes. This addresses rising concern over data centers, many of which would count as large-load customers.
Commissioners have heard an earful from the public on rising utility bills and the rate case this year. Damrill said he wasn’t aware of an opportunity for public comment on the case Thursday.
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