Tulsa weather is helping push electric bills higher this summer for PSO customers, and the interim rate adjustment at Public Service Company of Oklahoma took effect on July 1. Regulators at the Oklahoma Corporation Commission are now reviewing a broader rate case that could set the permanent amount customers pay.
For residential customers, the proposed settlement would cut the increase from roughly 15% to 1% and lower the average extra monthly charge from about $25 to about $2.45. The Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office negotiated that agreement with PSO.
Meloyde Blancett at Tulsa library
Rep. Meloyde Blancett hosted a town hall on electricity rates Thursday evening at a Tulsa library, after she said she had called more than 500 constituents. Blancett said, "I ask what’s on their mind" and added, "A good percentage of the people I have ended up having conversations with or who text or email me back, say, ‘What the hell is going on with electricity rates?’ That was the impetus for doing this. This is not a campaign event – this is about good governance."
Ellen Lannert, a Tulsa resident and PSO customer, told panelists, "This is incredibly frustrating for retirees" and said, "We do the average, we do everything we can, we do the Power Hours, we keep the temperature at 79. We are beyond knowing what to do."
Fairo Mitchell at town hall
Fairo Mitchell fielded questions at the Tulsa library event as customers pressed for details on why bills are climbing now. The rate case process at the Oklahoma Corporation Commission is the mechanism that will decide whether PSO gets to keep the higher amount it is collecting under the interim adjustment.
Under that setup, customers pay the interim amount while the commission reviews the permanent request. If the commission decides PSO was entitled to less, the difference can be refunded.
Joy McGill on PSO rates
Joy McGill of AARP said, "From our perspective, the (average) base increase of $25 was absolutely unacceptable" as she addressed the Thursday evening crowd. Another factor in the higher bills is the Southwest Power Pool, which is adding to the pressure alongside summer usage and other costs.
For Tulsa-area PSO customers, the immediate issue is the bill in front of them now. The proposed settlement would bring that monthly increase down sharply, but the commission still has to decide whether to approve it and what the final residential increase will be.
