January 11, 2022
By News Director Jared Atha
When an Oklahoma Corporation Commission Administrative Law Judge recently recommended approval of a securitization of PSO’s $688 million in February storm costs, it had the support of several groups, but not the American Association of Retired Persons.
The Oklahoma chapter of the AARP opposes the 20-year plan to spread out costs, a move that will mean at least another $4.05 a month on top of a rate hike approved by Corporation Commissioners in late 2021. Combined, it means close to $9 to $10 more a month for PSO consumers.
When asked why the AARP opposes the hike, Sean Voskuhl, AARP Oklahoma State Director told OK Energy Today that “the AARP strongly opposes the settlement because it negatively impacts PSO residential customers and puts further financial pressure on older Oklahomans, especially those on fixed incomes.”
In a filing with the Corporation Commission, the AARP took issue with the methodology used in determining such a rate hike as proposed by ALJ Dustin Murer in support of PSO.
The AARP said the Commission should reject the request to shift more of the winter storm cost recovery to residential ratepayers, especially in light of the recent increase in PSO’s rates which also adopted an allocation methodology that was preferential to large customers with a 4.2% rate reduction at the expense of residential customers.
What AARP prefers is a rejection of the allocation methodology used in the settlement agreement and instead adopt a plan used in PSO’s testimony to recover funds with a per kWh charge used by customers in the covered period.
The settlement is supported by the Oklahoma Attorney General, the Public Utility Division of the Commission, Walmart Inc., and the Oklahoma Industrial Energy Consumers organization.
The ALJ’s recommendation was made last week and regulators have yet to set a date to take a vote on it.
Copyright 2022 Paragon Communications. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission.
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