A recent study used as a source for an article in the Journal Record showed what I have long suspected; the cost of energy in Oklahoma is obscene. It isn’t just Watonga or Geary or Calumet.
The study, conducted by WalletHub and cited in the article on July 10 indicates Oklahomans spend an average of $583 per month on total energy costs, which in this study includes motor fuel as well as electricity, natural gas and home heating oil. That’s the sixth highest rate in the nation.
A further breakdown shows Oklahoma at 17th for electricity costs and 12th for motor fuel. Summer, of course, drives both of those categories up because of the heat and the increased consumption of motor fuel for driving out to the lake or the mountains to beat that heat.
And while the cost of fuel is low in the Sooner State (44th) that is negated by the distance we tend to drive.
But the reality is an embarrassment. Why does one of the top energy generating states fleece its residents for that same energy? I’m not preaching to rob the rich and give to the poor. But the equation could be a little more equitable. If this study is correct, we spend an average of $583 per month on energy.
Yes, there are programs to help with power bills (see article below). Yes, we can conserve as much as possible, and we can insulate our homes. There is a lot to be done to help on a personal level.
And the sweltering weather and inflation haven’t done anything to help matters. Yet the underlying question remains. Why do we pay more than, say, Florida? Or Texas, Louisiana, California …you get the picture.
Something is wrong in this, wrong in a bad way. We bust our humps to provide energy for the rest of the nation. We live with the traffic and the road damage.
You can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a wind turbine, an oil well or a natural gas riser. If energy is everywhere, why does it cost more here than where it isn’t produced?
I’m not condemning anyone or any industry. Everyone in the state appreciates the energy production sector, but it could be transparent and explain why my power bill is higher than my daughter’s in Kansas.
We as a citizenry appreciate the industry, and the well-paying jobs it creates.
We appreciate the huge amount of money that pours into the state treasury and flows into the schools our children attend.
The industry is always willing to pony up when anyone needs a donation for a charity or non-profit. Even this newspaper and my own pet project has benefitted directly from the energy sector.
But the question is out there, the implications are ugly, and should be met head-on.
There is probably a good explanation that is beyond my understanding. So let’s hear it.