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Rate Matters and Regulation
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2026
Regulated Operations [Abstract]  
Rate Matters and Regulation

13. Rate Matters and Regulation

 

Except as disclosed below, the circumstances set forth in Note 14 to the financial statements included in the Registrants' 2025 Form 10-K appropriately represent, in all material respects, the current status of the Registrants' regulatory matters.

 

Completed Regulatory Matters

 

Integrated Resource Plans

 

In 2025, OG&E issued its 2025 IRP to the OCC and APSC. The 2025 IRP was intended to address updated planning assumptions from OG&E’s 2024 IRP and present OG&E’s current capacity needs in light of the SPP’s planning reserve margin requirements for both summer and winter seasons as well as the SPP’s revised resource accreditation methodologies and updated load projections. The 2025 IRP identified capacity needs of 1,647 MWs by 2030. OG&E has executed contracts for nearly 1,000 MWs of generation as a result of the 2024 request for proposal process, and regulatory approvals are currently being pursued, as further discussed below. Further, in January 2026, OG&E issued additional requests for proposals for resources to meet projected capacity needs while maintaining affordability and reliability for OG&E's customers. In April 2026, OG&E issued its final 2026 IRP to the OCC and APSC, which is intended to address OG&E's updated load forecast as well as updated SPP Resource Adequacy policies. The 2026 IRP identifies capacity needs of 1,922 MWs by the 2031/2032 winter season, which is inclusive of approximately 800 MWs of capacity needs driven by changes in the SPP Resource Adequacy policies. OG&E intends to evaluate incremental capacity needs through future IRPs and to continue to seek capacity additions, as needed.

 

APSC Proceedings

 

2025 Arkansas Act 373 Tariff Filing

 

In December 2025, OG&E filed an application for approval of an Act 373 tariff to recover return on CWIP and revenue requirement for Horseshoe Lake and Tinker generation facilities. Recovery under the Act 373 tariff is dependent on a finding of eligibility for the Horseshoe Lake Units 11 and 12 and Tinker generation facilities in the prudence case disclosed below. In April 2026, the APSC issued an order approving OG&E's Act 373 tariff.

 

Pending Regulatory Matters

 

Various proceedings pending before state or federal regulatory agencies are described below. Unless stated otherwise, the Registrants cannot predict when the regulatory agency will act or what action the regulatory agency will take. The Registrants' financial results are dependent in part on timely and constructive decisions by the regulatory agencies that set OG&E's rates.

 

SPP Proceedings

 

Demand Response Accreditation

 

The SPP has been evaluating demand response accreditation for several years, and a proposal has evolved that would treat demand resource accreditation on a performance-based approach. This approach requires demand response resources to be market registered and dispatched based on SPP market protocols or be reliability registered and dispatched during conservative operations or energy emergency alerts within the SPP. Alternatively, demand response programs that are built into a LRE’s forecast, known as load modifiers, can be used to reduce the load and resources needed to satisfy the entity’s planning reserve margin but would include an after-the-fact look at whether the LRE’s peak forecast was below the actuals in a given year. If under forecasted, a LRE would have to pay a deficiency payment for not providing enough resources to satisfy its planning reserve margin and actual peak load. At their February 2026 meetings, both the SPP Regional State Committee and the SPP Board of Directors adopted policies to include the 2027 implementation of a LRE’s load modifier cap and full implementation in 2028. These policies are subject to FERC review and approval prior to implementation.

 

Seminole to Shreveport Transmission Line

 

At the end of 2025, the SPP Board of Directors adopted their 2025 Integrated Transmission Plan. This plan included a new 765kV transmission line running from Konawa, Oklahoma to Shreveport, Louisiana. OG&E will construct and own a significant portion of the line. The project is pending OG&E's receipt and acceptance of a notice to construct, which is expected later this year.

 

APSC Proceedings

 

Arkansas Prudence of Horseshoe Lake and Tinker Generation Facilities

 

In December 2024, pursuant to orders in the generation construction notice filings, OG&E filed an application requesting a determination of prudence of action and initial contract costs for the generating units being constructed at Horseshoe Lake (Units 11 and 12) and Tinker Air Force Base. In May 2025, intervenors, including the Attorney General, filed direct testimony and APSC staff recommended a finding of prudence of action and initial contract costs for both projects. The Attorney General recommended approval of the Horseshoe Lake project but raised concerns regarding certain elements of the Tinker Air Force Base project. In May 2025, OG&E filed a supplemental application to serve as notice to the APSC of OG&E’s intent to recover the costs of these projects through a rider under the newly enacted Act 373. In June 2025, OG&E filed rebuttal testimony to address concerns raised by the Attorney General in direct testimony. OG&E entered into a settlement agreement with APSC Staff in August 2025 that agreed the Horseshoe Lake and Tinker combustion turbines were prudent and that OG&E satisfied part of the eligibility criteria for recovery of these costs through a Strategic Investment Rider. The Arkansas Attorney General opposes the part of the settlement relating to eligibility for a Strategic Investment Rider. In August 2025, the APSC issued an order seeking additional testimony that responds to several questions related to the eligibility of the Strategic Investment Rider for out of state projects. In September 2025, OG&E and APSC Staff filed responsive supplemental testimony. OG&E is awaiting a final order from the APSC.

 

2025 Arkansas Preapproval Case

 

In July 2025, OG&E filed an application requesting several approvals from the APSC relating to three capacity projects arising from the 2024 request for proposals for generating capacity: (i) the Black Kettle Battery Storage CPA; (ii) the Kiamichi natural gas CPA; and (iii) construction of two additional combustion turbines at the Horseshoe Lake generating facility (Units 13 and 14). OG&E sought authority to begin construction of the Horseshoe Lake units, a prudency determination of those new Horseshoe Lake units, authorization to enter into the Black Kettle Battery Storage CPA and other findings needed under Arkansas law, including eligibility to recover costs of the new Horseshoe Lake units through a rider under the newly enacted Act 373. In November 2025, OG&E and the APSC staff filed a settlement agreement approving OG&E’s application with some additional reporting requirements and allowing an additional return on the Black Kettle Battery Storage CPA at the 20-year U.S. treasury rate. In December 2025, the Attorney General

filed testimony in opposition to the settlement. In January 2026, the APSC issued an order denying the settlement agreement and denying preapproval of Horseshoe Lake Units 13 and 14 but approving the Black Kettle Battery Storage CPA. The APSC also found that OG&E did not need to seek approval of the Kiamichi natural gas CPA since the term is shorter than five years. In the order, the APSC stated OG&E could still seek a prudence determination and cost recovery of Horseshoe Lake Units 13 and 14 after they are placed into service. In February 2026, OG&E filed additional evidence pursuant to Arkansas law and requested that the APSC consider the additional evidence in finding that Horseshoe Lake Units 13 and 14 are reasonable, necessary and in the public interest. In March 2026, the APSC issued an order which again declined to grant prudence of Horseshoe Lake Units 13 and 14 but clarified that OG&E is authorized to begin construction and the APSC's previous order should not be construed to indicate prudence or imprudence. The APSC re-stated that OG&E may request approval for Horseshoe Lake Units 13 and 14 in a future rate case. Parties have filed comments in response to questions posed by the APSC's March 2026 order, and OG&E is awaiting further action from the APSC.

 

Arkansas Frontier Energy Storage Project Preapproval Filing

 

In February 2026, OG&E filed a preapproval case for the Frontier Energy Storage Project, which involves a purchase and sale agreement for a 300 MW battery storage facility in Oklahoma. The Frontier Energy Storage Project is the final project resulting from OG&E's 2024 request for proposals and subsequent negotiations. In this proceeding, OG&E seeks authorization to commence construction of the Frontier Energy Storage Project and to later acquire the facility pursuant to the purchase and sale agreement, a prudency determination for the project, and all other findings and approvals needed under Arkansas law. In April 2026, the APSC Staff and the Attorney General filed direct testimony recommending approval of the Frontier Energy Storage Project, subject to certain conditions. In May 2026, a non-contested settlement was reached between the APSC Staff and OG&E. In June 2026, the APSC issued an order requesting briefs on certain issues, including regarding whether a battery is a generating facility, and intervenors subsequently filed their briefs. OG&E is awaiting a final order from the APSC.

 

Arkansas Long-term CPAs

 

In July 2026, OG&E filed its application and direct testimony to seek approval for two long-term CPAs as presented in the Oklahoma Google special contract case, which is further discussed below.

 

FERC Proceedings

 

Order for Sponsored Transmission Upgrades within SPP

 

Under Attachment Z2 of the SPP Open Access Transmission Tariff, OG&E and others who built participant-funded, or "sponsored," transmission upgrades may recover the costs of the upgrade from other SPP customers who benefit from it. The FERC approved a waiver of a time limitation in the SPP tariff to allow the SPP in 2016 to bill for the 2008 through 2015 period due to information system limitations that had delayed that billing. The SPP then both billed users and credited sponsors, including OG&E, for Z2 charges during the period. OG&E refunded most of the net credits to customers through its various rate riders that include SPP activity and retained the remaining amounts.

 

Net payers of Z2 credits contested the waiver, leading the FERC to reverse its decision, deny the waiver, and instruct the SPP to refund payments made for charges from 2008 to 2015. OG&E and other net creditors challenged this reversal. However, the FERC upheld its reversal, and in August 2021 and September 2024, federal appeals courts upheld the FERC’s decisions to deny the waivers and to deny relief to OG&E and the other creditors against SPP. All appellate options have now been exhausted.

 

On July 16, 2026, the FERC ordered the SPP to begin invoicing OG&E and other parties by August 17, 2026 for refund amounts owed. The SPP must begin distributing refunds to project users once it has received the funds. The SPP must also submit a refund report within 60 days after issuing the initial invoices, including the recoupment amounts and complete interest calculations. The SPP previously calculated that OG&E will need to refund approximately $14 million, net of the amounts OG&E paid to other utilities for upgrades, plus interest. This order will shift recovery of these upgrade credits to future periods. Of the $14 million refund amount, the Registrants recognized approximately $4 million in expense in 2021 that initially benefited the Registrants in 2016, and OG&E customers will incur a net impact of approximately $10 million in expense through rider mechanisms or the FERC formula rate once the refunds occur. As of June 30, 2026, the Registrants have reserved $14 million plus estimated interest for a potential refund.

 

After the initiation of the disputes discussed above, the FERC approved an SPP proposal to eliminate Attachment Z2 revenue crediting and replace it with a different rate mechanism that would provide project sponsors, such as OG&E, the same level of

recovery. This elimination of the Attachment Z2 revenue crediting would only impact OG&E and its recovery of any future upgrade costs that it may incur as a project sponsor after July 2020. All projects initiated prior to July 2020 remain eligible to receive revenue credits under Attachment Z2, which includes the $14 million related to the refunds discussed above.

 

OCC Proceedings

 

Oklahoma CWIP Filing

In December 2025, OG&E filed an application for CWIP treatment for Horseshoe Lake combustion turbines Units 13 and 14, as allowed by Oklahoma Senate Bill 998. A motion to dismiss the case was filed by the Oklahoma Industrial Energy Consumers, as well as the Public Utility Division Staff. OG&E filed a response as well as motions to move the case and all outstanding motions to be heard en banc. These motions were heard before the OCC in January 2026. In March 2026, the OCC issued an order dismissing the case, and on the same day, OG&E filed an appeal at the Oklahoma Supreme Court. The case is now fully briefed and is awaiting a decision from the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

 

Oklahoma Frontier Energy Storage Project Preapproval Filing

 

In December 2025, OG&E filed a preapproval case for the Frontier Energy Storage Project, which involves a purchase and sale agreement for a 300 MW battery storage facility in Oklahoma. The Frontier Energy Storage Project is the final project resulting from OG&E's 2024 request for proposals and subsequent negotiations. In January 2026, the Attorney General and Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma filed a joint motion to dismiss the case based on an interpretation that a battery energy storage system is not an electric generation facility. In February 2026, OG&E filed a response in opposition to the joint motion to dismiss, and in April 2026, the ALJ issued a report that recommended the OCC deny the joint motion to dismiss. In June 2026, the ALJ issued a report recommending approval of the Frontier Energy Storage Project, with rider recovery limited to 18 months after the project is placed in service. The ALJ report does not allow for a tariff contingency to be collected through the rider but otherwise adopts OG&E's positions in the case. The Attorney General subsequently filed exceptions to the ALJ report, and OG&E filed a response to the Attorney General's exceptions. OG&E is awaiting a final order from the OCC.

 

Oklahoma 2025 Fuel Prudence

 

In April 2026, the Public Utility Division Staff filed their application initiating the prudence review of the 2025 fuel adjustment clause. OG&E filed its direct testimony and minimum filing requirements in June 2026. Responsive testimony from intervenors is due on August 6, 2026, and a hearing is scheduled for October 8, 2026.

 

Oklahoma Google Special Contract

 

In May 2026, OG&E filed an application requesting approval of a special contract with Google and preapproval of two CPAs. The special contract includes provisions such as long-term contract commitments, minimum billing demand and energy charges, funding of upfront costs, and recognizing OCC authority to review and address any potential adverse rate impact in future rate proceedings through cost-of-service adjustments. Further, as part of the special contract, OG&E secured power generation capacity agreements from two solar facilities that Google currently has under construction. Responsive testimony is due on August 5, 2026, and a hearing is scheduled for September 9, 2026.

 

Oklahoma Large Load Tariff

 

Separately from the Google special contract, in June 2026, OG&E filed an application requesting approval of its new proposed XLPL tariff and terms and conditions of service for extra large load customers and for approval of a regulatory asset to recover costs associated with portfolio optimization software. If approved, this tariff would establish a framework to serve large load customers (75 MWs or higher) and include provisions such as long-term contract commitments, minimum billing demand and energy charges, funding of upfront costs, a customer protection charge that addresses any potential adverse rate impact to other customer classes, and a customer affordability charge that would be credited to residential customers through a regulatory liability. Responsive testimony from intervenors is due on September 18, 2026, and a hearing is scheduled for November 3, 2026.

 

Oklahoma Distribution Interconnection Agreement

 

In May 2026, OG&E filed an application requesting approval of a pro forma Distribution Interconnection Agreement to be used for certain interconnections to OG&E’s distribution system for generators that do not have a purchase agreement for the output with OG&E and are larger than 300kW. On July 16, 2026, the ALJ recommended approval of OG&E's application, and OG&E is awaiting a final order from the OCC.