Oklahoma § 17-151 - Public utility defined — Exemptions — Requirements

§ 17-151. Public utility defined — Exemptions — Requirements

A. 1. The term “public utility” as used in Sections 151

through 155 of this title shall be taken to mean and include every

corporation, association, company, individuals, their trustees,

lessees, or receivers, successors or assigns, except as hereinafter

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 17. Corporation Commission

provided, and except cities, towns, or other bodies politic, that

now or hereafter may own, operate, or manage any plant or equipment,

or any part thereof, directly or indirectly, for public use, or may

supply any commodity to be furnished to the public:

a.

for the conveyance of gas by pipeline,

b.

for the production, transmission, delivery, or

furnishing of heat or light with gas,

c.

for the production, transmission, delivery, or

furnishing of electric current for light, heat, or

power, or

d.

for the transportation, delivery, or furnishing of

water for domestic purposes or for power. Provided

further, that a corporation organized and existing not

for profit pursuant to Title 18 of the Oklahoma

Statutes, Sections 851-863, but for the purpose of

developing and providing rural water supply and sewage

disposal facilities to serve rural residents shall not

be declared a public utility under this section, and

shall be exempt in any and all respects from the

jurisdiction and control of the Corporation Commission

of this state.

2. The term “Commission” shall be taken to mean the Corporation

Commission.

B. Provided, that the term public utility shall not include or

be taken to mean a corporation, association, company, individuals,

their trustees, lessees, receivers, successors, or assignees engaged

in the production of electricity, provided that such entity

furnishes an electric service or commodity on the premises directly

to itself, an affiliate, or tenants or indirectly by contracting

with a public utility, rural electric cooperative, or municipality

for the purpose of furnishing electric service to a specific

customer or is an exempt wholesale generator, so long as that

service or commodity is not resold as retail electric service or

supplied indirectly or directly for public use. Nothing herein

shall relieve such an entity of its obligation to comply with state

and federal grid interconnection and registration requirements and

associated costs from the applicable regional transmission

organization or public utility in the state. There shall not be a

requirement or an obligation for a public utility to serve any

customer receiving electric service from an entity described herein.

Further, it shall not limit any party from asserting a right they

may otherwise be entitled to under Oklahoma law including filings

with the Commission. Additionally, any project pursuant to this act

shall be required to utilize a natural gas component in their power

generation capacity.

Added by Laws 1913, c. 93, p. 150, § 1, emerg. eff. March 22, 1913.

Amended by Laws 1929, c. 353, p. 487, § 1, emerg. eff. June 26,

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 17. Corporation Commission

1929; Laws 1971, c. 26, § 1; Laws 1971, c. 322, § 1, emerg. eff.

June 24, 1971; Laws 2024, c. 67, § 1, emerg. eff. April 22, 2024;

Laws 2025, c. 160, § 1, eff. July 1, 2025.