GUYS? THAT’S RIGHT. GOOD EVENING TO YOU. THOSE DOCUMENTS THAT YOU MENTIONED ALSO INCLUDE PUBLIC COMMENT AND EVER SINCE OG ANNOUNCED THIS PROPOSED RATE INCREASE AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, THE STATE’S REGULATORY BODY, THE OKLAHOMA CORPORATION COMMISSION, HAS BEEN FLOODED WITH HUNDREDS OF COMMENTS FROM OKLAHOMA. THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE AGAINST THIS PROPOSED RATE INCREASE. JOHN, IN OKC SAYING MY GROCERIES ARE UP, MY CAR AND HOME INSURANCE IS UP. MY GASOLINE IS UP, MY PROPERTY TAXES ARE UP, MY INTEREST RATES ARE UP, ETC. DO YOU GET THE PICTURE? MEANWHILE, BARBARA WROTE IN SAYING THIS IS GOING TO BE A HARDSHIP FOR MANY PEOPLE, INCLUDING MYSELF, MANY SENIOR CITIZENS ARE ON A FIXED INCOME PAGE AFTER PAGE OF PUBLIC COMMENT TO THE CORPORATION COMMISSIONERS ASKING THEM TO SAY NO TO A RATE INCREASE REQUEST FROM OG AND E, THE ENERGY GIANT SAYS THE AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER WOULD BE PAYING ABOUT $19 MORE A MONTH IF APPROVED, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT ANY INCREASE IN ELECTRIC BILL CAN BE HARD FOR SOME OF OUR CUSTOMERS BECAUSE WE DON’T WANT TO SEE THAT NOBODY WANTS TO SEE THAT. ERIN COOPER, A SPOKESPERSON FOR OG NE, SAYS THE INCREASE IS NECESSARY TO SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS THAT THEY HAVE MADE OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, WHICH THEY SAY WILL HELP IMPROVE RELIABILITY AND PROTECTS FROM FUTURE OUTAGES SO THAT WE CAN THEN, UH, RECOVER SOME OF THE COSTS OF THOSE INVESTMENTS. WE’VE MADE SOME ORGANIZATIONS LIKE AARP OKLAHOMA, ALSO TRYING TO STOP THE INCREASE, POINTING OUT THAT OG AND E INCREASED RATES IN 2021 AND 2022, TOTALING ABOUT $5 MORE A MONTH FOR THE AVERAGE BILL. WE WANT TO WORK ON AFFORDABILITY WHILE CONTINUING TO ENSURE RELIABILITY. UH, TODAY, OUR RATES ARE APPROXIMATELY 35% LOWER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE OG, ALSO POINTING TO A REDUCED FUEL COST TO BILLS, WHICH THEY SAY WILL MEAN THE AVERAGE PERSON WILL BE PAYING ABOUT $25 LESS. THIS SUMMER COMPARED TO LAST SUMMER. BUT THOSE FUEL COSTS CHANGE MULTIPLE TIMES A YEAR. AND THERE IS A HEARING SET FOR NEXT WEEK WITH THE CORPORATION COMMISSION. WE COULD KNOW AS SOON AS NEXT MONTH IF THIS PROPOSED RATE
OG&E seeks approval for rate increase, sparking outcry from public
OG&E's proposed rate increase could lead to a $19 monthly hike for average customers, triggering widespread opposition from Oklahomans
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Updated: 7:57 PM CDT Jun 11, 2024
OG&E requested that the Oklahoma Corporation Commission approve a rate increase that could see the average customer's bill rise by $19 each month.OG&E requested the rate increase at the end of last year. Documents surrounding the rate increase proposal include public comments.Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here."My groceries are up. My car and homeowner insurance is up. My gasoline is up. My property taxes are up. My interest rates are up, etc. Do you get the picture?" John, a customer from Oklahoma City, said. The state's regulatory body, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission was flooded with hundreds of messages from Oklahomans, with the cast majority being against the plan. "This is going to be a hardship for many people, including myself. Many senior citizens are on a fixed income," Barbara, another resident of Oklahoma City, said. Aaron Cooper, a spokesperson for OG&E, acknowledged the potential impact. "We understand that any increase in electric bills can be hard for some of our customers. We don't want to see that. Nobody wants to see that," Cooper said. Cooper said that the increase would help the company recover some of the costs of investments it has made. >> Download the KOCO 5 App"We want to work on affordability while ensuring reliability. Today, our rates are approximately 35% lower than the national average," Cooper said. OG&E also highlighted a reduction in fuel cost to bills, which they said will result in the average person paying about $25 less this summer compared to last, but that fuel cost changes multiple times a year.A hearing on the proposed increase is scheduled for next week with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. A decision on whether the increase will be approved could be made by next month.Top Headlines How to stay safe from sharks while in the ocean Oklahoma family mourns daughter struck, killed by street racers on I-35 Police arrest teenagers in shooting that injured 3 at Norman apartment complex Husband in Logan County murder-suicide had history of domestic violence, sheriff says Neighbors react to murder-suicide during carpool pickup in Logan County
OKLAHOMA CITY — OG&E requested that the Oklahoma Corporation Commission approve a rate increase that could see the average customer's bill rise by $19 each month.
OG&E requested the rate increase at the end of last year. Documents surrounding the rate increase proposal include public comments.
Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.
"My groceries are up. My car and homeowner insurance is up. My gasoline is up. My property taxes are up. My interest rates are up, etc. Do you get the picture?" John, a customer from Oklahoma City, said.
The state's regulatory body, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission was flooded with hundreds of messages from Oklahomans, with the cast majority being against the plan.
"This is going to be a hardship for many people, including myself. Many senior citizens are on a fixed income," Barbara, another resident of Oklahoma City, said.
Aaron Cooper, a spokesperson for OG&E, acknowledged the potential impact.
"We understand that any increase in electric bills can be hard for some of our customers. We don't want to see that. Nobody wants to see that," Cooper said.
Cooper said that the increase would help the company recover some of the costs of investments it has made.
>> Download the KOCO 5 App
"We want to work on affordability while ensuring reliability. Today, our rates are approximately 35% lower than the national average," Cooper said.
OG&E also highlighted a reduction in fuel cost to bills, which they said will result in the average person paying about $25 less this summer compared to last, but that fuel cost changes multiple times a year.
A hearing on the proposed increase is scheduled for next week with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. A decision on whether the increase will be approved could be made by next month.
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