Oklahoma Natural Gas is asking state regulators for nearly $29 million in additional base-rate revenue, saying the extra money is needed to swap out aging pipelines and keep service reliable. Folded into the request is a one-time tax credit that would soften the hit, with the company estimating the average residential customer would see about a $1.50 monthly increase after credits are applied. Regulators have set a public comment session and a hearing in Oklahoma City for June.
What ONG asked for
As outlined by ONE Gas, Oklahoma Natural Gas filed a Performance-Based Rate Change application on Feb. 26, 2026 that seeks roughly $28.7 million in new base-rate revenue, plus a $2.6 million energy-efficiency incentive and an estimated $14.4 million in excess deferred income tax (EDIT) credits to be returned to customers. The filing notes that a hearing before an administrative law judge is scheduled for June 11, 2026, and that new rates could be implemented, subject to refund, as soon as June 26, 2026.
How it would hit bills
In a customer notice summarized by Oklahoma Energy Today, ONG says the proposal would increase the average residential service charge by about $2.73 a month before the EDIT credit. After the one-time EDIT payment and energy-efficiency adjustments, the company estimates the total monthly impact at roughly $1.53 for a typical residential customer and about $0.42 for low-income households. Those numbers are ONG's projections under Oklahoma's PBRC rules.
Why ONG says it needs the money
ONE Gas told regulators the requested increase is tied to 2025 spending on pipeline replacement work, customer growth and operating costs pushed higher by inflation, and says its returns last year dipped below the allowed level. The utility reports that it put hundreds of millions into capital projects, including line replacements and new meter sets, to keep its system reliable. That investment push is central to its argument for restoring revenue under the PBRC mechanism, as detailed in the ONE Gas filing.
How to weigh in
Members of the public can speak at a comment session set for 10 a.m. on June 11, 2026, at the Concourse Theater, Suite C50, in the tunnel between the Will Rogers Memorial Office Building and the Sequoyah Office Building in Oklahoma City, according to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission and the company's notice to customers. Those who cannot attend in person may submit written comments by mail to the commission at P.O. Box 171, Oklahoma City, OK 73101, or by email to [email protected] with "Attention: Public Comment PUD2026-000010" in the subject line, per the customer notice summarized by Oklahoma Energy Today. The case appears on the OCC docket as PUD2026-000010.
What to watch
ONG's request arrives while utility rate actions and bond recoveries tied to the 2021 winter storm are already under heavy scrutiny, and several legislative and legal battles are underway in Oklahoma. Recent coverage of lawmakers challenging large bond and rate approvals at the state supreme court provides a backdrop that could shape how the commission approaches new filings. If regulators substantially change ONG's proposal after hearings, customers could see refunds or different charge structures depending on the outcome.
Legal process
The corporation commission conducts an administrative hearing on the merits after taking public comment and then issues an order based on evidence, testimony and intervenor filings, according to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. The agency can allow new rates to go into effect "subject to refund," which keeps its authority to require paybacks if it later approves a smaller revenue amount. The technical record, including testimony on capital costs, EDIT calculations and energy-efficiency adjustments, is expected to drive whatever final decision regulators reach.
