Oklahoma utility requests permission to buy natural gas generation plant to meet rising electricity demands

The Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) has asked state regulators for permission to buy a natural gas combined-cycle generation plant to help it meet growing customer power needs.

“Adding this natural gas facility to our fleet allows us to serve our customers efficiently and reliably without the need to construct a new plant,” said PSO President and Chief Operating Officer Leigh Anne Strahler. “PSO’s purchase of this cost-effective, local resource is a win for our customers and for the community.”

PSO filed for Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) approval to purchase the existing 41-acre Jenkins, Okla., facility, which would add 795 megawatts (MW) of long-term power to PSO’s generation mix by June 2025, primarily renewable energy and natural gas.

In June, PSO entered into an agreement to purchase the plant from J-Power, a 50/50 joint venture between a Tokyo-based entity and John Hancock Infrastructure Fund.

If approved as proposed by the OCC, the average residential customer using 1,100 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per month would see an increase of $7.24 or 5 percent of their total bill by June 2025, according to the PSO filing.

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