To meet electricity needs, Public Service Company of Oklahoma is seeking preapproval to add new projects to its generating capacity in the coming years.
The utility company requested a zoning change with the Rogers County Board of Adjustment, which would allow it to build some of the planned projects. But the board denied the request Tuesday evening.
The Rogers County plans include converting an existing coal unit to natural gas, adding two new natural gas turbines and installing battery storage in Oologah.
Battery energy storage systems keep a reserve of excess energy and release it when electricity demand is high. As of November, Oklahoma has dozens of systems planned, according to the Southwest Power Pool queue.
A spokesperson for PSO did not specify whether the company plans to appeal the county decision.
“The team at PSO is concerned about the impacts the Rogers County Board of Adjustments’ decision will have on our customers in Oologah and across our service area,” a PSO spokesperson said in an email. “The denial creates uncertainty for projects designed to strengthen the local grid, meet growing energy needs, and provide affordability.”
The board’s decision followed the circulation of an online petition by residents, asking the utility company for more transparency. The group wrote that it’s concerned the community lacked information on the project and that PSO’s notice signs were too far from roadways or angled away from traffic.
“Following Tuesday night’s meeting, PSO is working to find the best path to move forward with projects that strengthen the local grid and ensure dependable service for homes and businesses in Oologah and across the region,” the spokesperson said.
The plans are part of a package of infrastructure projects proposed by the company. In an application with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, PSO outlined details to invest in eight energy projects in different parts of the state.
The total cost is estimated to be $1.25 billion and could result in an average monthly increase of $10.34 for residential customers.
The company is also asking to use “construction work in progress,” or CWIP, to finance some of the plan. The practice involves charging customers during the construction of a project, rather than once it begins generating electricity.
The Corporation Commission recently denied a CWIP request from OG&E, but still approved its proposed projects to be charged later. A law passed this year requires commissioners to allow CWIP treatment for infrastructure that generates natural gas. But the regulators said OG&E’s application was filed before the measure became law.
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