News from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission

Matt Skinner, Public Information Officer

Phone: (405)521-4180, FAX: (405) 522-1623    www.occeweb.com

ONEOK, SUBSIDIARIES IN CONTEMPT FOR REFUSAL TO TURN OVER DOCUMENTS

($2,000 a day fine assessed)

(Oklahoma City) Oklahoma Corporation Commission Administrative Law Judge Robert Goldfield today found ONEOK and its subsidiaries OMET and OGS in contempt for their refusal to comply with OCC staff’s request for certain documents related to natural gas sales.

Judge Goldfield assessed the firms a fine of $2,000 a day starting from May 8, 2001 and lasting until such time as the firms comply with the order to surrender the documents.

OCC Public Utility Division Director Ernest Johnson called the companies continued refusal to allow access to the documents “mystifying.”

“They have twice tried unsuccessfully to have the Oklahoma Supreme Court stop staff in its attempt to get the documents. Now they have simply refused to turn over the documents.

“A paid witness for ONEOK recently testified that the dealings between ONEOK subsidiaries and ONG were arms-length competitive transactions, and the resulting charges were fair, just, and reasonable. One would think ONEOK would be anxious to show staff that such was actually the case, and that the decisions made were in the best interest of the consumer.

“This is simply a case of Commission staff trying to get the information needed to ascertain whether the customers of a regulated monopoly (ONG) paid a fair, just and reasonable price for their natural gas this past winter.”

The case is scheduled to go to the full Commission in late June.

All OCC releases and advisories are available for viewing and downloading on our web site: www.occeweb.com