Hearing Underway On OG&E Proposed Rate Hike Request

Oklahoma Gas and Electric is asking an administrative law judge to grant its request for an annual rate increase of about $72-million.

If approved, the average household would see about a $6.50 a month increase in their bill for 2012.

Read a July 2011 news release about the rate hike request.

OG&E's case is being heard by an Oklahoma Corporation Commission judge.  OG&E says it needs the money to pay for $500-million in investments in recent years.

The Corporation Commission's Public Utility Division is recommending a rate decrease of about $4 million.

Attorneys for both sides and other interested parties will provide testimony, submit evidence and question witnesses before the judge.

The judge will issue a report and recommendations. The three-member Commission is expected to vote on the proposal early next year.

OG&E, a subsidiary of Oklahoma City-based OGE Energy Corp, serving nearly 790,000 electric Oklahoma customers.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.