A first-of-its-kind federal report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) released in April shows Oklahoma had 572,480 electricity disconnections and 52,683 natural gas shutoffs in 2024.
The state led the nation in utility disconnections per its customer base with more than 2% of all consumers experiencing an interruption. That analysis comes from utility watchdog group Energy and Policy Institute (EPI) and the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity.
Oklahomans received more than 3 million final notices for gas and electric past-due bills in 2024. The overwhelming majority were for electricity service.
A spokesperson for the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, which regulates the state’s utilities, said it does not generally keep disconnection records. Customers occasionally contact the commission after a shutoff, but not always.
The state does not require utilities to report disconnection data. To develop the report, EIA requested data directly from suppliers.
“In the United States, there's no law that protects a customer from disconnection if they fall behind in their utility bill,” said Shelby Green, research and communications manager for EPI. “Whether they owe 10 cents or they owe $1,000, if your bill is not paid by the shutoff date, the utility has the right under existing rules to perform disconnections.”
There are some protections in place in Oklahoma. The Corporation Commission does not allow utilities to cut off power when the National Weather Service forecasts temperatures below 32 degrees or when the heat index — what the temperature feels like — is expected to be 101 degrees or higher. The commission also has the authority to suspend shutoffs during severe weather or life-threatening situations.
Disconnections also can’t occur within the last two hours of a business day, on a holiday or after noon on Fridays.
Oklahoma’s largest utilities, Oklahoma Gas & Electric and Public Service Company of Oklahoma, offer some financial assistance programs like payment plans and donation-based help.
Although the details explaining Oklahoma’s high disconnection ranking compared to surrounding states is unclear, Green said there is likely a mixture of reasons.
“ I think just the compounding factor of low wages, limited protections, and then, not only high, but regular rate increases is making it harder for people to be able to afford their utility bill and avoid disconnection,” she said.
In 2024, Oklahoma ranked 42 in the nation for total income from wages and other earnings like proprietors' income, dividends and government benefits. Electricity rates in the state averaged around 9 cents per kilowatt-hour that year, according to EIA.
Inflation, more grid demand from large-scale users like data centers and aging infrastructure investments are some of the reasons states — including Oklahoma — are seeing higher monthly bills. As of February 2026, the average electricity price per kilowatt-hour is 12.89 cents.
The federal report is expected to continue publishing annually, Green said, but there will likely be a two-year data lag.
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