With an interim rate taking effect July 1, Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) will now charge the typical residential customer about $11 more each month for electricity, as News on 6 reports.
While the increase is officially interim, it still means households will be paying more right away at a time when summer cooling costs are already climbing.
What's happening?
The new pricing starts while PSO's rate case remains pending before the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC), News on 6 notes. For a residential customer using 1,100 kilowatt-hours a month, the interim change amounts to the aforementioned $11 increase.
PSO officials said the temporary charge is less than what the utility originally requested, according to the station. Oklahoma law allows utilities to begin collecting interim rates before regulators complete a full review, News on 6 says.
The station reports that if the OCC ultimately approves a rate lower than the interim one, customers would be refunded the difference. A final order is still expected in the coming weeks, though no date has been announced.
To support its request, PSO pointed to spending on grid upgrades intended to improve reliability during severe weather, News on 6 reports.
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The company claimed in data provided to the station that automation technology and smart reclosers have prevented more than 655,000 sustained outages and reduced customer interruption time by 144 million minutes since 2020, while vegetation work has cut tree-related outages by 91%.
Why does it matter?
Even though the increase is temporary, it lands during one of the costliest parts of the year for household electricity use. July bills often climb as air conditioners run harder in the summer heat, so the added $11 may come on top of charges that are already high.
The higher rate also begins before regulators have issued a final decision in the case. Customers on prepay plans must closely monitor their balances to avoid service disruptions.
Oftentimes, customers have no choice regarding the rates they pay when it comes to utilities. That can lead to frustration if rates rise at what they deem to be an unfair level. It can also hit vulnerable members of the community already facing higher prices for staples like groceries or gas.
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What's being done?
At this point, the main customer protection is the ongoing review by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. If regulators approve a final rate below the interim charge, customers will be made whole.
News on 6 notes PSO is also directing customers who are struggling to several forms of help, including payment plans, community assistance, free home weatherization services, and rebates on energy-efficient products that could reduce electricity use.
Customers can also use PSO's website or mobile app to track electricity use in 15-minute intervals, the station said. That may help households spot spikes in consumption and adjust thermostat settings, laundry timing, or other high-energy activities.
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