News from the Oklahoma Corporation
Commission
Phone: (405)
521-4180, FAX: (405) 522-1623, www.occ.state.ok.us
January 31,
2001
The Corporation Commission
will meet tomorrow (Thursday, February 1) to closely examine the gas costs
borne by customers of ONG and Reliant Arkla.
Ordinarily, Commission staff
reviews such costs. But Commission
Vice-Chair Denise Bode points out these
are not “ordinary” times.
“As everyone knows, the
price of natural gas has skyrocketed, and as a result, so have utility bills,”
said Bode. “Oklahomans need to know this Commission is doing everything it can
under its legal authority to keep those down as low as possible.
One of the main focuses of
the Commission in tomorrow’s session is what’s called the Purchased Gas
Adjustment, or PGA. Under the PGA, a
gas utility is allowed to charge the consumer what it had to pay for the gas it
delivered to customers. No profit is allowed.
While state law allows such “pass-throughs” without Commission approval,
it does give the Commission the authority to oversee such costs. Tomorrow’s session will include sworn
testimony from gas industry officials and others.
Commissioner Ed Apple, while
emphasizing the need for a full, public scrutiny of such costs, says it’s
important to remember what is at the core of the problem.
“This is a national
problem,” said Apple. “The final solution to the energy crisis can only be
brought about through a national effort, and I encourage President Bush’s
efforts in that direction.”
The hearing will be held at
9:30 a.m. in the Commission courtroom (Room 301) on the third floor of the Jim
Thorpe building.
-occ-