Contact:  

Nick Singer, Executive Director

T: (405) 416-3126

E: [email protected]

Contact:  

Anna Littlejohn, Operations Director

E: [email protected]

Stitt Administration Failed to Protect Ratepayers in Documents Uncovered by Oklahoma Progress Now

Oklahoma City, OK - October 31, 2022 - Join members of Oklahoma Progress Now, VOICE, the State NAACP, and Rep Andy Fugate for a press conference Tues, 11/1 at 10a on the east side of the Jim Thorpe Building.

In February 2021, Oklahoma hit some of its lowest temperatures on record. Over a three day period, Oklahoma utilities bought more natural gas by cost than they do in a year. More than $4.5B worth of overpriced natural gas was purchased and now that debt is being repaid via a process known as Securitization. 

An 18 month investigation by Oklahoma Progress Now has uncovered that state elected officials at the legislative, executive and regulatory level as well as members of our federal delegation knew within days of the event that gas companies were price gouging us. (Media preview link can be made available)

What followed was at first incompetence but eventually a willful failure by regulators, legislators and Governor Stitt and his administration to protect the ratepayers and families of Oklahoma. In never before seen text and email messages, Gov Stitt, legislators and regulators had immediate concerns about price gouging but instead wrote talking points directly from the utility companies and protected their interests over ours.

“In the year and a half since the winter freeze, there have been no investigations into price gouging or market manipulation. There have been no claw backs of excessive profits. There has been no relief for the families of Oklahoma, only higher bills.” Says Nick Singer, Director at Oklahoma Progress Now.

Gov Kevin Stitt, legislative leaders in the Oklahoma Senate, including Kim David and Greg Treat, the Director of the Public Utilities Division, Brandy Wreath, and others worked to ensure business interests were protected while ratepayers paid. Utilities and their interests drove the entire conversation around the response to Winter Storm Uri.

“Kevin Stitt ran as a businessman. What businessman agrees to pay $4.5B in excess charges on a commodity? He's not running Oklahoma like a business, he's running it for a business. We cannot allow our government to serve the interests of corporations and the wealthy. Our findings show that despite their immediate concerns, our elected leaders allowed themselves to be captured by energy interests. That is not their job. Elected officials have to protect the public.” Says Nick Singer. 

Today, there is no effort being explored except decades of higher bills. We must demand better from our elected leaders. Oklahoma Progress Now is asking voters to make their voice heard on November 8th and demand real change in State Government and to elect leaders that will protect ratepayers from greedy corporations.

Oklahoma Progress Now is a nonprofit focused on building progressive power and holding public officials accountable in Oklahoma. More details can be found at: www.okprogressnow.org