Operations heating up

Plans in place to double the size of the Choctaw Nation Solar Farm.

Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co.’s solar portfolio continues to heat up as it hones its focus on boosting its renewable energy assets.

The utility, which serves about 850,000 customers across parts of Oklahoma and Texas, announced Wednesday it will double the size of the Choctaw Nation Solar Farm it operates in Durant.

Operations at both the Choctaw farm and the Chickasaw farm near Davis are going well, said Jeff Wood, a lead account executive at OG&E. The utility is continuing to see growing demand for the technology as its portfolio of solar assets expands, Wood said earlier this year.

Choctaw Nation officials echoed Wood’s observation this week, saying the tribe already had saved more than $69,000 on its energy bills through what is known as a solar rate tariff plan.

Customers with a rate tariff plan pay more than standard residential and commercial customers during nonpeak demand periods, but pay significantly less during peak demand periods when electricity costs are highest (particularly, hot summer afternoons and evenings).

The tribe, whose 10.5-county territory across southeast Oklahoma is served by OG&E, Public Service Co. of Oklaho

“We also want more consumers on OG&E’s system here in southeast Oklahoma to benefit from the farm.” Stanley Self Choctaw Nation utility authority director

ma and various electric cooperatives, currently has about 58 of its building accounts on tariffs connected with the Durant solar project.

Choctaw Nation Utility Authority Director Stanley Self is looking forward to expanding the tribe’s participation within the program.

“We have gotten a lot more comfortable about it as we have learned more about the technology and about how it works,” Self said. “We are very excited about this expansion because we look forward to increasing our participation (by adding more tribal building accounts to the tariff ).”

Self recognizes the growth, which will boost the plant’s capacity from 5 to 10 megawatts and increase OG&E’s total solar capacity to 32 megawatts, serves more than just Choctaw Nation.

“We also want more consumers on OG&E’s system here in southeast Oklahoma to benefit from the farm,” Self said. “That added capacity will be generated by a clean, renewable energy source that will reduce our carbon footprint even more. Hopefully together, we can make this effort a good fit for both of us.”

Other solar farms

In addition to this solar farm, the utility also operates a 2.5 megawatt farm at its Mustang Energy Center in Oklahoma City, a 10 megawatt farm near Covington and a 5 megawatt farm near Davis it built through energy use commitments involving the Chickasaw Nation and individual consumers.

It also is building a 5 megawatt farm near Fort Smith, Arkansas, that it expects will begin operating in September.

Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton echoed Self ’s statements, adding, “we are excited to grow our partnership with OG&E and give back to our Mother Earth.”

OKLAHOMA GAS AND ELECTRIC CO. A solar farm near Davis that serves the Chickasaw Nation and surrounding consumers in southern Oklahoma is among the growing solar assets OG&E operates as part of its power generating portfolio.

OKLAHOMA GAS AND ELECTRIC CO. An electric-powered bucket truck and crane are displayed at Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co.’s Advanced Technologies Laboratory.

AND ELECTRIC CO. OKLAHOMA GAS Panels track the sun at the Choctaw Nation Solar Farm near Durant.