Federal officials say Oklahoma’s focus on affordability and grid modernization offers lessons as electricity demand grows nationwide.
OKLAHOMA CITY — As scorching summer heat sends electricity demand soaring across much of the country, the U.S. Department of Energy is pointing to Oklahoma as an example of how states can keep the lights on while keeping electric rates affordable.
During a visit to Oklahoma on Friday, Assistant Secretary for Electricity Catherine Jereza said the department chose the state to launch its national “Powering America Road Show” because of its longstanding focus on affordable electric service, grid reliability and continued investment in modernizing the electric grid. She said Oklahoma is known for having the nation’s third-lowest electricity costs, a combination that also helps attract economic development.
“We picked Oklahoma because it’s a model to follow across the nation,” Jereza said. “They’ve always put reliability and affordability first.”
The visit comes as the nation’s electric grid faces mounting pressure from rising demand, aging infrastructure, increasingly severe weather and the rapid growth of artificial intelligence data centers.
“Our national grid, its check engine light is on,” Jereza said, citing reliability assessments showing elevated risks of energy shortfalls across much of the country.
Jereza said the purpose of the tour is not simply to showcase federal programs, but to hear directly from utilities, state officials and local communities rather than relying solely on perspectives from Washington.
“We want to come here, ask the questions and say, ‘Hey, how is this working? What can we do in partnership?'” she said.
U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for Electricity Catherine Jereza tours OG&E’s Metro Service Center in Oklahoma City on Friday. Jereza said the department chose Oklahoma as the first stop on a national outreach tour because of the state’s emphasis on electric reliability and affordability. (Photo courtesy of OG&E)
OG&E hosted the visit, which included tours of the utility’s Metro Service Center, substation improvements and grid modernization projects supported in part through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships, or GRIP, program.
One of the projects highlighted was OG&E’s Adaptable Grid Project, supported by a $50 million federal grant awarded in 2023. The project is designed to automate more than 100 electric distribution circuits using smart-grid technology and mobile battery storage to improve reliability, strengthen resilience and better prepare the electric system for extreme weather.
Jereza said those investments are moving utilities closer to what she described as a “self-healing grid.”
During the tour, OG&E officials demonstrated how automated equipment can identify faults, reroute electricity around damaged portions of the system and restore service much more quickly than traditional methods.
“Our vision … is a self-healing grid,” Jereza said. “We want to be able to serve all customers … affordably, reliably and securely.”
Jereza cited one recent example in which automation restored power to 450 OG&E customers within about four minutes after a utility pole was damaged. Another 300 customers were restored within about 30 minutes, and full repairs were completed within about three hours.
Jereza said the Department of Energy’s broader strategy includes modernizing the nation’s electric grid, supporting additional electric generation and working with utilities and state governments to ensure the system can meet future demand without sacrificing reliability or affordability.
Choosing Oklahoma as the first stop on the national tour, she said, reflects the department’s belief that the state’s emphasis on affordability, reliability and grid modernization offers lessons that could help other states prepare for growing electricity demand while maintaining reliable, affordable electric service.
