November 23, 2022
By News Director Jared Atha
Public Service Company of Oklahoma filed another rate hike request with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission and if approved, its customers would pay another $14 a month.
PSO services portions of western and southwest Oklahoma.
In an announcement on Tuesday, PSO defended the request, citing greater energy security, reliability, long-term affordability, resilience, safety and economic growth.
PSO officials said the proposal will provide funding to harden the PSO electrical grid, meaning power outages would be less frequent, smaller and shorter, while encouraging clean energy and protecting the public and workers. The utility said its customers have already benefited from PSO’s increased grid investments, which have reduced total PSO outages by more than 13 million minutes since January 1, 2020.
PSO’s renewable energy fleet would expand, providing fuel-free power as a hedge against rising fuel prices.
If approved, the proposal would increase PSO net revenue $173 million annually to reflect current levels of investment and costs incurred to serve customers.
For the average residential customer who uses 1,100 kilowatt-hours per month, the increase would be about $14.11 a month or 10%.
In a statement PSO President and Chief Operating Officer Leigh Anne Strahler says the request is designed to protect the consumer from sudden spikes in their bills.
No official date as to when the Corporation Commission will consider the request.
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