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Author: Brianna Wall

Higher Power Costs Fueling Increase in Electric Bills

Posted on by Brianna Wall

Beginning with electric bills issued on or after May 1, Oklahoma Electric Cooperative (OEC) members may notice an increase in their power cost adjustment (PCA). The PCA could rise by roughly $15 per 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) consumed — meaning the more electricity used, the more noticeable the impact on a monthly bill.

The PCA directly reflects what OEC pays for wholesale electricity on behalf of its members. That rate is determined by our power provider, Western Farmers Electric Cooperative (WFEC). As a distribution cooperative, OEC delivers power but does not generate it. For more on the generation, transmission and distribution process, watch the short video below.

The recent increase stems from elevated electricity demand across the 14-state Southwest Power Pool (SPP) footprint over the past several months, compounded by rising fuel prices. The PCA fluctuates each month, reflecting constant changes in the fuel market.

“Rising costs are something we never take lightly, because we understand the real-world pressure they put on the people we serve,” said CEO Patrick Grace. “When budgets are already stretched thin, an uptick in the electric bill can feel like one more weight on the scale. That’s why OEC is committed to being a resource for our members — whether through financial assistance programs, energy-saving tools like our rate calculator, or simply a conversation about options — while keeping the reliable service they depend on front and center.”

From Grid to Home: OEC's Role in Your Electricity's Journey

We're here to help: Check out our energy-saving tools & resources

Residential Rate Calculator

Our Residential Rate Calculator helps you determine which rate is best for you. Using your usage data, it identifies which of our three residential rates would save you the most money. Note it is most accurate if you have 12 months of usage history at your current location. Try it here.

Custom Rate Analysis

Did you know we have three residential rates? It can be overwhelming trying to decide which one you should be on, so we have a team of experts ready to help. Submit our Rate Comparison Request, and a member of our team will provide you a detailed report to help you determine which rate is best for you based on your personalized usage data and trends.

Free In-Depth Energy Audits

OEC offers in-depth, onsite energy audits at no cost to residential members. The audit tests your home’s ability to seal in heat and air, checks for potential duct leakage and ensures an adequate amount of attic insulation. Members will receive a detailed report on site along with information on steps they can take to expand their home’s efficiency and savings. Apply here.

Home Energy Profile

Not quite ready for someone to audit your home? Try our free Home Energy Profile, where you enter your home and appliance information to receive an in-depth analysis of your home’s energy health, along with recommendations to improve it at different investment levels. Build your home’s profile here.

Contact our Energy Efficiency Solutions Specialist

If you’d simply like to walk through options with an expert, contact Daniel Lofland, OEC’s Energy Efficiency Solutions Specialist. A BPI-certified Building Analyst, Daniel can help you assess your home via phone or email. Reach out to him at daniel.lofland@okcoop.org or 405-217-6631.

OEC Activates Self-Healing Grid Technology in Chickasha Area

Posted on by Brianna Wall

Smart grid system reduces outage times and strengthens reliability for rural members

Oklahoma Electric Cooperative (OEC) has activated a new phase of its Adaptively Controlled Electric System (ACES), bringing advanced self-healing grid technology to members in the Chickasha, Amber and Pocasset areas.

ACES uses smart grid devices installed along power lines that continuously monitor the electric system. When a disruption occurs — such as storm damage or a vehicle striking a power pole — the system can automatically isolate the problem area and reroute electricity through another path when possible.

By limiting the impact of outages, the technology helps restore power to many members faster.

Members served by ACES technology currently experience more than 60% less time without power compared to areas of the system that have not yet been upgraded.

“OEC has long been committed to investing in technology that strengthens reliability for our members,” said CEO Patrick Grace. “ACES allows our electric system to respond more quickly to outages, reducing their impact and improving service for the communities we serve.”

The cooperative began implementing ACES in 2021 as part of its long-term effort to modernize the electric distribution system. Currently, about 8–9% of OEC’s membership benefits from the technology.

Engineers determine where ACES should be expanded by analyzing outage data, restoration times and system conditions to identify areas where smart grid devices can make the greatest impact. Rural areas are often strong candidates due to longer distances between substations and service roads.

The latest upgrades in Chickasha, Amber and Pocasset also include enhanced cybersecurity protections that strengthen the electric system’s defenses by managing access to field devices and regularly rotating device credentials.

Another key component enabling ACES is OEC Fiber, the cooperative’s fiber-optic network. The network provides the secure, high-speed communication system that allows smart grid devices to share information and make decisions in real time.

“Our fiber internet network allows these devices to communicate instantly,” said Nick Shumaker, manager of system engineering. “That speed and reliability make it possible for the system to automatically reroute power and reduce outage impacts.”

Before the system was placed into service, engineers conducted extensive testing — including simulated faults — to ensure the devices respond safely and reliably when disruptions occur.

The Chickasha expansion represents another milestone in OEC’s broader effort to modernize its electric grid and reinvest in rural Central Oklahoma.

Oklahoma Electric Cooperative is Oklahoma’s largest member-owned electric cooperative, and OEC Fiber is the state’s largest wholly-owned broadband subsidiary. OEC provides electricity to over 65,000 accounts and broadband services to over 43,000 subscribers in seven central Oklahoma counties. The service area includes approximately 2,200 square miles with 5,900 miles of electric line and 4,000 miles of fiber line.

Check OEC Fiber availability in your area

Game Changers | OEC News

Posted on by Brianna Wall

OEC employees volunteer at the Oklahoma Special Olympics

Volunteers from 25 Oklahoma electric co-ops came together in Stillwater in May to assist with the Special Olympics Summer Games. Five OEC representatives attended among the record 155 co-op volunteers in Stillwater.

Media Specialist Erin Garcia, Service Technician Shane Dominey, Member Services Associate Julie Le, Journeyman Power Lineman Jacob McFarlane and District 7 Trustee Danny Watters joined other co-op employees and family members as they assisted with track and field events.

Four thousand athletes from across the state participated in the Summer Games. During the three-day event, athletes competed in track and field, bocce, bowling, golf, horseshoes, powerlifting, basketball and softball.

“I didn’t really know what to expect, but athletes were so pumped, and it was honestly amazing,” Le said. “I’m really proud I got to be a part of it.”

In addition to OEC’s volunteers, the OEC Foundation, Inc. via Operation Round Up® donates funds to area Special Olympics teams each year. That funding is made possible by members who round up their monthly electric bills to the nearest dollar.

“I am so proud of these young people and their tenacity to overcome their obstacles and win,” Garcia said. “The high fives were endless, the smiles were priceless, and I will treasure every minute.”

Five Reasons Your LED Bulbs Might Be Flickering | OEC News

Posted on by Brianna Wall

By Daniel Lofland, OEC Energy Efficiency Solutions Specialist

In general, flickering lights are caused by a simple drop or fluctuation in household voltage that causes the lights to dim momentarily. A variety of common issues can cause your lights to flicker, and understanding the specific causes will tell you what to do to solve the issue.

Bulb Type

Fluorescent light bulbs are more prone to flickering than LED and other bulb types. Low or high temperatures, aging bulbs or tubes, and normal warm-up cycles can all cause fluorescent bulbs to flicker. Small amounts of flickering aren’t a cause for concern, but if constant flickering or dimming are occurring, replace your fluorescent bulb to correct it. If the new bulb or tube still flickers, it is likely that the fixture has a bad ballast. You can replace the ballast on old fixtures (upgrading to an electronic ballast in the process), but it’s usually simpler to replace the entire fixture.

Outdated Dimmer Switches

Dimmer switches are a common source of flickering with LED (light-emitting diode) bulbs. Older dimmer switches and current conventional dimmers are designed for use with standard incandescent light bulbs, and they often don’t work well with LED bulbs. If your LED is controlled by a dimmer, the easiest fix is to buy a good-quality “dimmable” LED bulb. If that doesn’t solve the problem, replace the old dimmer with a new dimmer designed for LED bulbs. You will still need to use dimmable LEDs with these dimmers, but the new switch will be optimized for LEDs and likely will give you better performance.

Loose Light Bulbs

Bulbs that aren’t screwed in all the way or are otherwise attached incompletely can make for a weak electrical connection with the light fixture’s contacts, resulting in flickering. Simply tightening the bulb usually solves this problem. If this occurs with a fluorescent tube, try rotating the tube in the fixture mounts to make sure the metal pins on the ends of the tube are making good contact. In older lamps or light fixtures, the sockets themselves may wear out so that the bulb can no longer make good contact with the metal tab in the bottom of the bulb socket. In this instance, you will need to replace the socket or the entire light fixture.

Faulty Lamp Switch or Cord

A bad connection in your lamp or fixture’s on-off switch can result in flickering. Troubleshoot the connections by wiggling the on-off switch. If your lights dim as you do this, you probably have a bad switch. In-line cord switches are easy to replace. If the switch is part of a lamp socket, simply replace the entire socket (also an easy job, but it requires a bit of simple wiring).

Cord plugs can also be the source of bad electrical connections. Make sure the cord plug is in good shape and is not loose in the electrical outlet. If necessary, replace the plug end or the entire cord. 

Insufficient Current

Large current draw on a circuit can cause lights to dim but not really flicker. If you notice your lights dimming briefly when certain appliances (such as a refrigerator) kick on, or if the lights stay dim while a toaster or heater is running, the electrical circuit is overloaded and there’s not enough current available for the lights. The real problem is that those high-demand appliances should not be on the same circuits as the lighting.

Recent electrical codes require that high demand appliances each be served by their own dedicated circuit, but in older homes, it’s common for the refrigerator, dishwasher, and other appliances to be served by the same general circuits that serve the lighting fixtures and standard outlets. This may well cause the lights to dim each time the appliances kick in.

If your light fixtures are using high wattage incandescent light bulbs, you may be able to rectify the situation by replacing them with low-wattage LED bulbs that provide the same illumination while drawing less power. Or, you can simply plug the lamp into a different circuit. But the fact remains that your electrical service is probably insufficient for the load. Consult with an electrician; you may need to add one or more circuits to correct this problem.

When Flickering Indicates a Serious Problem

Flickering lights are normally not a cause for alarm. But sometimes they can indicate a more serious underlying issue. Constant or severe drops in lighting can result from circuit overloads or faulty connections somewhere along the circuit. Both problems can be serious safety concerns and should be discussed with an electrician.

OEC Linemen Answer the Call | OEC News

Posted on by Brianna Wall

When severe storms strike, electric cooperatives respond. This spring, OEC sent multiple crews to assist neighboring co-ops as they worked to restore power and rebuild after destructive weather swept through their service areas.

Two OEC crews traveled to Stilwell to support Ozarks Electric Cooperative following a round of damaging storms. Working long hours in harsh conditions, they helped clear debris, rebuild lines, and restore power to thousands of homes. A few days later, another OEC crew rolled out to Collinsville to assist Verdigris Valley Electric Cooperative with similar recovery efforts.

The trucks were packed, the gear was loaded, and our crews were on the road.

Our mutual aid crews’ quick response and hard work brought real relief to fellow co-ops and the communities they serve.

When challenges arise, OEC linemen don’t just represent their co-op—they represent the cooperative commitment to stand by one another, regardless of distance or difficulty.

From the Top – July 2025 | OEC News

Posted on by Brianna Wall

You’re not alone if you’ve ever been at home and noticed your lights flicker during a storm. We call those “blinks,” and while they can be annoying, they’re a sign that our system works exactly as it should.

At any given time—especially during summer storm season—our electric system is up against everything from high winds to tree limbs, lightning and animals. Many people don’t realize that roughly 80% of these disturbances are temporary faults. The system can typically clear the issue automatically by de-energizing the line for just one second. That brief interruption lets the problem pass, and the power is restored almost immediately without requiring a crew to intervene.

We know blinks are not ideal and can be frustrating. In almost every case, a blink is a good thing when compared to the alternative—a complete power outage. A blink means the system avoided a bigger problem.

You’ll see more than a blink when the issue doesn’t clear—such as when a tree takes down a line. That’s when we roll trucks, send our crews, and restore service quickly and safely.

So, while a blink is a momentary inconvenience, it’s also a tool that helps us keep power flowing to your homes and businesses. It’s part of building and maintaining a reliable system.

Of course, we don’t stop there. We know no one likes blinks, so we’re constantly working to prevent them in the first place. That’s where our tree-trimming program and system maintenance efforts come in. Keeping lines clear of branches, inspecting and replacing aging equipment, and hardening the system to withstand storms are all part of our strategy to reduce outages and blinks. A little prevention goes a long way.

Thank you for your continued trust in your cooperative. We’ll keep working behind the scenes. It’s safe, reliable power, and we’ll always be here when you need us.

OEC Partnering with Local First Responders for Public Safety Event

Posted on by Brianna Wall

NORMAN, OK — Oklahoma Electric Cooperative (OEC) is set to celebrate National Electrical Safety Month alongside Norman Fire Department, EMSSTAT, Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department and more on May 18 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The Wired Up for Safety touch-a-truck event is free to the public and will feature OEC’s Live Line high voltage demonstrations, a fire truck, ambulance, Bearcat, OEC Fiber’s splicing lab, and more public safety vehicles and equipment used by first responders. 

“OEC is proud to host Wired Up for Safety as a way to spread public awareness of the dangers of electricity but also to promote safe practices,” said Daniel Lofland, OEC energy efficiency solutions specialist. “It will be a hands-on way for members of the public — especially kids — to get an up-close look at what it takes to provide essential services and keep everyone safe.”

Wired Up for Safety will coincide with Norman’s Farmers Market at The Well and the May Fair Arts Festival on Campus Corner. Located at the McFarlin United Methodist’s west parking lot, attendees are invited to stop by May 18 for giveaways, Live Line demonstrations at 10:30, 11:30, 12:30 and 1:30, and to tour vehicles and equipment provided by first responders and other community partners.

“OEC’s long-standing commitment to public and employee safety inspired this event,” said OEC CEO Patrick Grace. “We are grateful for our public safety partners who are joining us to help keep all of our communities safe.”

Oklahoma Electric Cooperative is Oklahoma’s largest member-owned electric cooperative, and OEC Fiber is the state’s largest wholly-owned broadband subsidiary. OEC provides electricity to over 62,000 accounts and broadband services to over 38,000 subscribers in seven central Oklahoma counties. The service area includes approximately 2,200 square miles with 5,600 miles of electric line and 3,900 miles of fiber line. To find out more about OEC, visit www.okcoop.org and www.OECFiber.com.

OEC Awards Washington, D.C. Trips to Local High School Juniors

Posted on by Brianna Wall

OEC awarded all-expenses-paid trips to six extremely talented high school juniors during the 2024 Youth Tour Banquet held Feb. 22. Justin Baker and Zoie Dunkleberger from Moore High School, Zoë Delheimer from Blanchard High School and Taehyun Hwang from Southmoore High School won a seven-day trip to Washington, D.C. on Oklahoma’s Youth Tour. The other finalists — Belinda Garvie from Tuttle and Makenzie Stone from Blanchard — won trips to Camp RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards). Both trips will occur this summer.

All applicants were asked to design a community-benefitting project, produce a short video promoting the project and write a professional letter to a leader of their choice about either their project or other public interest issues. Finalists created PowerPoint presentations and “pitched” their community projects in front of OEC trustees, senior staff, representatives from their schools, their families and three independent judges. 

“We want to support and encourage the kind of human who lends their talents and efforts to improving life in their communities,” said Tory Tedder-Loffland, OEC education and outreach programs director. “All six of these finalists qualify as amazing humans who will do amazing things in life.”

The panel of judges included The Honorable Danny Sterling, who represents House District 27, April Doshier, executive director of Food & Shelter, Inc., and Lydia Bomboy, 2017 OEC Youth Tour winner and elementary teacher at OKC Public Schools.

“I am impressed by all the applicants and their passion for service,” Tedder-Loffland said. “This contest emphasizes grassroots initiatives to affect positive change in their communities.”

As winners of the 2024 Youth Tour, Baker, Dunkleberger, Delheimer and Hwang will travel to the nation’s capital in June along with 70 of their peers from electric co-ops across the state. They will spend the week experiencing Washington, D.C.’s historic monuments and museums, meeting with Oklahoma’s Congressional delegation and making new, lifelong friends.

While at Camp RYLA, Garvie and Stone will learn improved techniques of leadership. Their enthusiasm and technique are brought back to their communities, where their positive influence impacts those around them. RYLA introduces a large number of young people and their families to the Rotary ideals of service each year. It helps bridge the communication gap between the generations and helps improve relationships among youth groups, families and the community.

“I am confident OEC will be very well represented both in Washington, D.C. and at Camp RYLA,” said OEC CEO Patrick Grace. “The board and I are happy to support programs that encourage our next generation of co-op members to dream big and become the community leaders we know they are capable of becoming.”

Oklahoma Electric Cooperative is Oklahoma’s largest member-owned electric cooperative, and OEC Fiber is the state’s largest wholly-owned broadband subsidiary. OEC provides electricity to over 62,000 accounts and broadband services to over 37,000 subscribers in seven central Oklahoma counties. The service area includes approximately 2,200 square miles with 5,600 miles of electric line and 3,900 miles of fiber line. To find out more about OEC, visit www.okcoop.org and www.OECFiber.com.

Powering Life’s Essentials | OEC News

Posted on by Brianna Wall

Proudly serving Central Oklahoma’s most reliable electricity — and now internet services — for 87 years

By Brianna Wall

Since Winter Storm Uri and the rolling blackouts of 2021, the electric grid and its complex features have taken center stage. News stations reported on capacity concerns, the Southwest Power Pool became a household name, and legislation attempting to avoid another similar crisis became the most discussed topic at Capitol buildings across the nation. 

Never has reliability been more important. 

OEC’s board of trustees and leadership have long prioritized reliability, setting a strategic plan into motion in 2017 that would drastically reduce the number of outages our system experienced, as well as our outage restoration time, over the following decade. This meant investment in efforts like vegetation management and system upgrades — and a commitment to adopting and deploying innovative technology to support our efforts. 

Enter OEC Fiber.

How OEC Fiber Applies Groundbreaking Technology in our Reliability Efforts

It has been well documented that OEC Fiber — known today as the most affordable, reliable option for high-speed internet in OEC’s service area — was born from our mission to improve reliability for our electric members. By owning the fiber communication across our electric system, we could enhance grid reliability and resilience while minimizing downtime and inconvenience for our 48,000 member-consumers. We call this project Adaptively Controlled Electric System (ACES), and it represents a pivotal shift in grid management strategies of the past.

“Unlike traditional systems, ACES boasts adaptive control mechanisms that dynamically reroute power during major outage events, minimizing service disruptions and maximizing reliability,” explained CEO Patrick Grace. “The impact of ACES on member satisfaction and outage statistics is nothing short of remarkable. Over the past two years, areas served by ACES have witnessed a staggering 70% reduction in outages compared to non-ACES regions.”

OEC’s commitment to enhancing grid resilience doesn’t stop here. Recognizing the transformative potential of ACES, OEC is steadfastly working on expanding the project’s reach to benefit more members across its service area.

“By extending ACES to additional regions, OEC aims to further bolster reliability standards and fortify its infrastructure against potential disruptions,” Grace said.

How Reliability Impacts Members

Prior to OEC’s strategic reliability initiative, members in 2016 were without power for an average of 129 minutes. Compare that number to 58.4 minutes in 2023 — that’s an average of less than one hour without power per member for the entire year, a pretty remarkable feat compared to other utilities. 

“OEC’s score of 58.4 places us in the top 18 percent of most reliable electric co-ops in the nation,” Grace said. “It also takes into consideration the outage time due to our generation and transmission provider, Western Farmers Electric Cooperative. If we were to only look at the outage factors we can control, that number drops to 48.5.”

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission reported investor-owned and municipality-operated utility scores have a two-year average of 107 to 164 — 83-180 percent higher than OEC’s score.

The number of outages members experienced also dropped dramatically, from 1.9 outages per year in 2016 to just 0.7 outages per year in 2023, a reduction of 63%! 

How We Continue to Improve Reliability

What caused the outages that did occur in 2023? In short, weather events caused the majority of power interruptions, specifically lightning strikes.

“Oklahoma consistently ranks in the top five most lightning prone states,” said Nick Shumaker, manager of system engineering. “Over the last seven years, we have made significant improvements in our lightning protection equipment across our entire system. Thanks to our investment in this area, our outage time per lightning strike has been reduced by an incredible 90% since 2015.”

Vegetation management also plays a large role in providing safe, reliable electricity. Our efforts to alleviate trees and brush in our lines help our system withstand Oklahoma’s unpredictable weather. Because trees offer environmental and energy efficiency benefits, we encourage the safe planting of trees in a mindful location in conjunction with our infrastructure. Visit link.okcoop.org/treeplantingguide to download our free tree-planting guide and explore our other resources.

All of our efforts culminate with one mission: to improve your quality of life with the safe delivery of highly reliable, reasonably priced electric and fiber internet service. In an age where uninterrupted power supply is paramount and access to high-speed internet is expected, we hope you rest easy knowing we are powering your life’s essentials.

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OEC Urges Members to Contact Them Before Purchasing Solar Panels

Posted on by Brianna Wall

During the summer months, solar companies are out in full force selling at-home solar panels to residents. They typically offer lofty deals and sometimes promise to make electric bills all but disappear. Some have even claimed to be partners with OEC, which is a false claim to make. We do not partner with solar companies but have a plethora of solar resources available on our website for those interested in exploring their options.

The information given to homeowners by solar companies is often misleading and inaccurate, causing them to purchase solar systems that are far too large for their homes. What can you do to avoid falling victim to these misleading sales tactics? OEC’s Energy Efficiency Solutions Specialist Daniel Lofland offers some tips.

“When solar salespeople size a home for solar panels, they typically look at your July and August electric bills as the standard,” he said. “They will try to sell you a system that will offset that usage, which is typically the highest period when looking at your last 12 months due to air conditioning, pool pumps and other heavy power users.”

We all have experienced higher usage and higher electric bills in the summer, but we also know this type of usage is not the norm. The other nine months of the year, electricity consumption decreases for most consumers.

“If they build a solar array to fit that high summertime usage, that system will be over-producing in March or April when you use half the amount of power as you do in July or August,” said Lofland. “Electric utilities in Oklahoma — and most other states — only credit consumers for excess production based on the cost of fuel that wasn’t purchased to produce that home’s power, because that home produced its own. This typically equates to about 3.5¢ per kilowatt-hour — and THIS is the key piece of information solar salespeople leave out when selling panels to a homeowner.” 

Residents should ensure the size of their solar array is based on their electric consumption during “shoulder” months like October, November, March or April. 

“Before you consider installing solar panels, I encourage homeowners to ensure their homes are performing as efficiently as possible,” said Lofland. “OEC members have access to a free home energy audit, and other electric providers might offer a similar solution. A solar array can certainly offset usage, but it’s important that your home be well insulated and sealed before installing any kind of distributed generation to maximize savings. This step will also help you avoid installing a system too large for your family’s energy consumption.”

Your electricity provider should be your first call if you are considering installing solar panels on your home. Call their solar experts and request they visit your home and help you size your solar array accordingly. Their expertise in the science behind solar generation, as well as in-depth access to your usage history, will be vital information to have as you make a purchase decision.

OEC members may visit www.okcoop.org/renewables to learn more about the state-of-the-art research OEC’s solar experts have contributed to, view our solar checklist, explore a contractor database, read about our large-scale solar projects and more. Call your electricity provider and ask to speak with their solar experts before finalizing your solar panel purchase.

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