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February 2013 - The University of Oklahoma (OU) is now receiving all of its purchased energy from renewable sources. The switch to renewables is part of a 2008 agreement made with Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company (OG&E). Under the agreement, OU purchases all of its energy from OG&E, which in return has constructed the OU Spirit Wind Farm, a 10,000 acre development with a generating capacity of 101 megawatts (MW). OU receives about 85 percent of the renewable energy certificates (RECs) from the wind farm and can trade or sell them at their discretion. The university pays for the RECs, but has managed to offset that cost through savings generated by its campus energy efficiency program. The university has not seen a noticeable change in its electric bill since switching to renewables and expects the use of wind power will help it overcome any future spikes in energy prices.
News Article -
University of Oklahoma, OG&E tout wind power partnership
Contact: Sustainability Committee, 405-325-5161
December 2011 - Oklahoma State University (OSU) and Oklahoma Gas & Electric (OG&E) announced a 20 year power purchase agreement to provide wind power for OSU's Stillwater, Oklahoma campus. OG&E will contract with NextEra Energy to build a 60 megawatt (MW) wind farm near Blackwell, Oklahoma to support the OSU wind project. OSU expects the wind power agreement to help meet the current and future power demands, while optimizing the university's energy cost savings.
News Release -
OG&E and Oklahoma State University Sign Agreement to Add Wind Power to Support the University's Sustainability Efforts
News Release -
OG&E and Oklahoma State University Sign Agreement to Add Wind Power to Support the University's Sustainability Efforts
Contact:
Brian Alford, OG&E, 405-553-3187
March 2009 - Dell announced an agreement with Oklahoma Gas and Electric to purchase wind power for its global headquarters in Oklahoma City. The purchase was equivalent to 100 percent of the electricity needs of the computer manufacturer’s 240,000 square-foot campus.
Including the Oklahoma City campus, Dell currently obtains green power for about 35 percent of its U.S. energy use and 20 percent of its global energy use. The firm aims to further reduce its global CO2 emissions as much as 40 percent by 2015.
News Release - Dell Powers Oklahoma City Campus with 100 Percent Green Energy; Plans to Reduce Global Absolute Greenhouse Gas Emissions Additional 40 Percent By 2015
News Article - Dell, PG&E Bet Big on Green Power
Dell Contact: Michelle Mosmeyer, 512-723-2408
October 2007 - OGE Energy Corp. announced plans to quadruple its wind power production and build a high-capacity transmission line from western Oklahoma to Oklahoma City. According to a utility executive, the implementation of the company's plans could give more OG&E customers the choice of purchasing green power in a few years. The company already has 170 MW of wind power, which could be increased to about 770 MW under the new plan. A high-capacity transmission line, which would be a necessary part of the expansion, would be built from Oklahoma City to Woodward, eventually extending to Guymon. The transmission line is subject to the approval of the regional transmission authority.
The company's Wind Power Program is currently fully subscribed and has been maintaining a waiting list. About 10,000 customers are enrolled.
News Release - OG&E Looks to Quadruple Wind Power Production
OG&E Contact: Mike Newcombe
November 2005 - Utility customers participating in green pricing programs that offer some form of protection from fossil-fuel price changes are finding that their green power premiums are shrinking or even turning negative. For example, as of November 1, Colorado customers participating in Xcel Energy's Windsource program are paying 0.66¢/kWh less for wind energy than for "regular" electricity because of an increase in the utility's energy cost adjustment (ECA). Since the ECA announcement, Xcel has sold out of its remaining available wind energy supply and has established a waiting list for new program signups.
In Oklahoma, OG&E Electric Services customers purchasing the OG&E Wind Power product now pay 0.13¢/kWh less for wind energy than for traditional electricity and customers of Edmond Electric's pure&simple wind power program now pay 0.33¢/kWh less. Both utilities adjust their fuel charge monthly. Finally, in September, Austin Energy announced an increase in its fuel charge, which will bring the rate for its most recent GreenChoice product offering to near parity with the standard electric rate.
News Release - Fuel Charge Increase Coming
News Article - Energy Bargain Blowing in the Wind
March 2004 - Oklahoma Gas & Electric (OG&E) reports that since launching its OG&E WindPower green pricing program on November 1, it has enrolled about 7,300 customers—about 1% of its customer base—exceeding the utility's expectations. The utility has already sold about one-third of the energy generated from its 51-MW share of the Oklahoma Wind Energy Center.
Under the OG&E WindPower program, the wind energy is sold in 100-kWh monthly increments for $2, or 2.0¢/kWh. However, green power subscribers are exempt from the utility's fuel adjustment charge—currently about 0.82¢/kWh—making the effective premium for the wind power about 1.18¢/kWh.
News Article - State Producers Chase Potential Of Wind Power
OG&E Contact: Susan Harkness (405) 553-3366
August 2003 - The Oklahoma Corporation Commission approved a green pricing program that will be offered to customers of Oklahoma Gas & Electric (OG&E) beginning in October. The power will come from OG&E's one-half purchase share of the 102-MW Oklahoma Wind Energy Center project that is under construction near Woodward, OK. The base price of the wind power will be $2.00 per 100-kWh block, or 2.0¢/kWh, but green power subscribers will be exempted from the utility's fuel adjustment charge—currently about 1.5¢/kWh—making the effective premium for the wind power about 0.5¢/kWh. An average residential customer could thus purchase wind energy to meet its entire electricity needs for an additional $5.00 monthly charge.
News Article - OG&E to seek approval for wind-power rate plan
February 2003 - Oklahoma Gas & Electric (OG&E), which serves about 700,000 retail electricity customers in Oklahoma and western Arkansas, announced that it has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for 50 MW of wind energy to supply a voluntary green pricing program for its Oklahoma-based residential and business customers. The proposals are due in March and project selection is planned for April or May. OG&E expects the wind energy to be available for sale to its customers by the fall of 2004.
The utility plans to offer blocks of wind power for an extra $5 each month. Each block is expected to be 400 kWh but the final determination will be made once a wind power purchase contract has been approved. Under the terms of the new tariff, the wind power purchases will be exempt from fuel cost adjustments.
News Release - OG&E Initiates One of Largest Wind Power Efforts in U.S.; Company Seeks Proposals From Large-Scale Wind Producers
News Article - Oklahoma-Based Utility to Offer Wind-Generated Electricity - No longer online at PMA.com
January 2002 - Oklahoma Gas & Electric (OG&E), which serves 700,000 customers and is the state's largest electric utility, filed plans with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to offer a green pricing option to its customers. If approved, the company plans to enter into 10-year contracts for wind energy to supply the program. The plan was filed in conjunction with a general rate increase request and a final order is not expected before summer 2002.
News Release - OG&E Files Testimony in Rate Increase Request
News Article - Oklahoma Gas & Electric Pushes Wind Power Option - No longer online at Knight-Ridder
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