ALJ recommends commission deny Wind Catcher project
OKLAHOMA CITY – Attorney General Mike Hunter today commended an administrative law judge’s recommendations to deny the pre-approval of Public Service Company of Oklahoma’s (PSO) Wind Catcher project.
In a 136 page report submitted by Judge Mary Candler to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) commissioners, Judge Candler found PSO failed to meet the burden of proof required for pre-approval and cost recovery of the project.
Attorney General Hunter said the recommendations should come as relief to PSO customers.
“I appreciate Judge Candler’s thorough review of the case and appreciate her recommendation to the commission to not allow pre-approval of this project to occur,” Attorney General Hunter said. “Judge Candler carefully outlined what my office has been saying all along, PSO did not follow competitive bidding rules. The Wind Catcher project will be a net cost to customers of at least $320 million, based on our analysis.
“We hope the commissioners do the right thing for PSO ratepayers and uphold the judge’s recommendations.”
Attorney General Hunter’s experts had testified that the company relied on flawed assumptions to develop its estimated ratepayer savings, and the project presented significant reliability concerns.
Attorney General Hunter and attorneys from the attorney general’s Utility Regulation Unit earlier argued the case should be dismissed because the company failed to comply with the OCC’s competitive bidding rules, was unable to show an actual need for the additional generation capacity from the project and estimated ratepayer savings based on unrealistic assumptions.
The final order by the OCC will be heard within 30 days.
Read Judge Candler’s report, here: LINK.
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