In the 1890s, before Oklahoma was a state, entrepreneurs were investigating an emerging technology—electrification. Since those early days, OG&E has seen a lot of “firsts.” We carry that same spirit of innovation from more than 100 years ago as we grow together with our customers in the future.
1902
Pioneering Electricity
Oklahoma Gas & Electric Company is the first company to successfully “electrify” Oklahoma. By 1928, the company was the state’s largest electric company/provider.
Mid-1920s
Expanding Our Territory
OG&E adds northwest Arkansas, including Fort Smith, to its service area.
1949
Ensuring Safer Power
OG&E is the first company in the U.S. to use gas turbines combined with steam turbines to generate electricity. Combined cycle power plants are among the world’s safest fossil-fired plants for the environment and climate, producing high power outputs with high efficiencies and low emissions.
1966
Growing Power
OG&E began construction on a steam turbine generator at Horseshoe Lake, which was the largest built in the state of Oklahoma at the time. When that unit fired up in 1969, Horseshoe Lake produced nearly 1 million kilowatts of power.
1969
Cooling Reservoirs
OG&E constructs Seminole Generating Station, now Seminole Power Plant, at Konawa. To enhance the area, the company expands the station’s cooling reservoir, creating the 1,350-acre Lake Konawa, which also doubles as one of the state’s premier bass fishing spots.
1972 to 1975
Diversifying Fuel
The nation’s energy crisis means a shortage of natural gas, leading to ever-increasing costs in the operation of OG&E’s plants. The company turns to low-sulfur coal from Wyoming to help maintain affordable rates for customers and ensure a consistent power supply. The company begins construction of coal generating units at the Muskogee Power Plant in 1972 and builds the Sooner Power Plant in 1975. The company converts its Muskogee plant to natural gas and adds scrubbers to its Sooner plant in order to preserve fuel diversity and reduce cost risk for customers while still complying with EPA mandates.
1986
Expanding Our Reach
OG&E acquires Enogex, a natural gas pipeline and energy marketing company with 10,000 miles of pipeline crossing west Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and southeastern Missouri.
Mid 1990s
Investing in EVs
OG&E works with the University of Oklahoma and Electrosource, a company that makes lead acid batteries, to promote electric vehicles. OG&E later sponsors research with OU to produce a 200 mph electric race car.
1995
Reacting When it Counts
Oklahoma City is changed forever with the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. OG&E crews are among the first responders, working to secure and disconnect live electric wires, using truck ladders to reach those stranded in the building, stringing temporary emergency service lines to provide power to searchlights for rescue operations and powering pumps to remove water from the basement.
1997
Forming OGE Energy Corp.
OGE Energy Corp. becomes the holding company of OG&E and Enogex, employing approximately 3,000 people.
2003
Pioneering Wind Power
OG&E is the first Oklahoma utility to offer wind power to customers.
2007
Expanding Wind Power
OG&E constructs Centennial Wind Farm, the first wind farm to be wholly owned and operated by a utility in Oklahoma. Today, the company owns two additional wind farms—OU Spirit and Crossroads—and has Power Purchase agreements with four others, providing the company with close to 842 MW of wind generation power.
2010
Leading in Smart Meters
OG&E becomes the first Oklahoma utility to install smart meters in its service area, improving response times and strengthening reliability. In addition, the company was able to implement the nationally-recognized SmartHours program. More than 120,000 customers participate in the program today.
2013
Launching New Partnerships
OGE Energy Corp., CenterPoint Energy Inc. and ArcLight Capital Partners LLC enter into a master limited partnership that includes CenterPoint Energy’s interstate pipelines and field services businesses and the midstream business of Enogex LLC. The partnership results in the creation of Enable Midstream Partners, LP.
2015
Leading in Solar Power
OG&E is the first in Oklahoma to develop a utility-scale solar farm on the location of Mustang Power Plant.
2017
Debuting Charging Stations
OG&E launches Oklahoma’s first convenience store electric vehicle charging station.
Investing in Combustion Turbines.
2017
Investing in Combustion Turbines
OG&E renovates its oldest power plant with new state-of-the-art quick-start combustion turbines at Mustang Energy Center, one of only two in the country. The quick-start combustion turbines are capable of starting and putting electricity onto the system in under 10 minutes.
2018
Modernizing Solar and Natural Gas
OG&E brings the 10 MW Covington solar farm online. This is quickly followed by the completion of the 462 MW Mustang Energy Center, which replaces 1950s era power generating units with seven modern natural gas quick-start combustion turbines.
2018
Restoring Power Post Hurricane
OG&E joins nearly 60 investor-owned utilities in an unprecedented emergency power restoration mission in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria. The company receives EEI's "2018 Emergency Assistance Award for Puerto Rico Restoration."
2019
Increasing Power Generation
OG&E adds two new power plants to its generation fleet: River Valley, located near Poteau, Okla., and Frontier, located in Oklahoma City.
2019
Leading Sustainability
OG&E commits to reducing its environmental footprint and is at the forefront of the industry. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions have decreased by approximately 90 percent, nitrogen oxide (NOx) by approximately 75 percent and carbon dioxide (CO2) by more than 40 percent, below 2005 levels. OG&E expects to reduce CO2 emissions to 50 percent below 2005 levels by 2030.
2020
Diversifying Power Generation
Through a long-standing partnership between OG&E and the Choctaw Nation, the Choctaw Nation Solar Farm is constructed in Durant, Oklahoma. The 5 MW solar farm is comprised of 35 acres of land and 15,000 solar panels.
OG&E adds an additional 5 MW solar farm in Davis, Oklahoma, increasing total solar capacity to approximately 22.5 MW.
2020
Securing the Grid
OG&E begins the Oklahoma Grid Enhancement plan (OGE Plan) to further enhance the system, making it more reliable, resilient, secure and efficient for the benefit of customers. The OGE Plan focuses on new systems that promote a self-healing grid.
2021
Expanding Solar Power
OG&E expands the Choctaw Nation Solar Farm in Durant, Oklahoma by 5 MW and builds a new 5 MW solar farm in Branch, Arkansas -- the company’s first universal solar offering for Arkansas customers. Together, these additions bring OG&E's total solar power generation to 32.5 MW.
1902
Oklahoma Gas & Electric Company is the first company to successfully “electrify” Oklahoma. By 1928, the company was the state’s largest electric company/provider.
Mid-1920s
OG&E adds northwest Arkansas, including Fort Smith, to its service area.
1949
OG&E is the first company in the U.S. to use gas turbines combined with steam turbines to generate electricity. Combined cycle power plants are among the world’s safest fossil-fired plants for the environment and climate, producing high power outputs with high efficiencies and low emissions.
1966
OG&E began construction on a steam turbine generator at Horseshoe Lake, which was the largest built in the state of Oklahoma at the time. When that unit fired up in 1969, Horseshoe Lake produced nearly 1 million kilowatts of power.
1969
OG&E constructs Seminole Generating Station, now Seminole Power Plant, at Konawa. To enhance the area, the company expands the station’s cooling reservoir, creating the 1,350-acre Lake Konawa, which also doubles as one of the state’s premier bass fishing spots.
1972 to 1975
The nation’s energy crisis means a shortage of natural gas, leading to ever-increasing costs in the operation of OG&E’s plants. The company turns to low-sulfur coal from Wyoming to help maintain affordable rates for customers and ensure a consistent power supply. The company begins construction of coal generating units at the Muskogee Power Plant in 1972 and builds the Sooner Power Plant in 1975. The company converts its Muskogee plant to natural gas and adds scrubbers to its Sooner plant in order to preserve fuel diversity and reduce cost risk for customers while still complying with EPA mandates.
1986
OG&E acquires Enogex, a natural gas pipeline and energy marketing company with 10,000 miles of pipeline crossing west Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and southeastern Missouri.
Mid 1990s
OG&E works with the University of Oklahoma and Electrosource, a company that makes lead acid batteries, to promote electric vehicles. OG&E later sponsors research with OU to produce a 200 mph electric race car.
1995
Oklahoma City is changed forever with the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. OG&E crews are among the first responders, working to secure and disconnect live electric wires, using truck ladders to reach those stranded in the building, stringing temporary emergency service lines to provide power to searchlights for rescue operations and powering pumps to remove water from the basement.
1997
OGE Energy Corp. becomes the holding company of OG&E and Enogex, employing approximately 3,000 people.
2003
OG&E is the first Oklahoma utility to offer wind power to customers.
2007
OG&E constructs Centennial Wind Farm, the first wind farm to be wholly owned and operated by a utility in Oklahoma. Today, the company owns two additional wind farms—OU Spirit and Crossroads—and has Power Purchase agreements with four others, providing the company with close to 842 MW of wind generation power.
2010
OG&E becomes the first Oklahoma utility to install smart meters in its service area, improving response times and strengthening reliability. In addition, the company was able to implement the nationally-recognized SmartHours program. More than 120,000 customers participate in the program today.
2013
OGE Energy Corp., CenterPoint Energy Inc. and ArcLight Capital Partners LLC enter into a master limited partnership that includes CenterPoint Energy’s interstate pipelines and field services businesses and the midstream business of Enogex LLC. The partnership results in the creation of Enable Midstream Partners, LP.
2015
OG&E is the first in Oklahoma to develop a utility-scale solar farm on the location of Mustang Power Plant.
2017
OG&E launches Oklahoma’s first convenience store electric vehicle charging station.
Investing in Combustion Turbines.
2017
OG&E renovates its oldest power plant with new state-of-the-art quick-start combustion turbines at Mustang Energy Center, one of only two in the country. The quick-start combustion turbines are capable of starting and putting electricity onto the system in under 10 minutes.
2018
OG&E brings the 10 MW Covington solar farm online. This is quickly followed by the completion of the 462 MW Mustang Energy Center, which replaces 1950s era power generating units with seven modern natural gas quick-start combustion turbines.
2018
OG&E joins nearly 60 investor-owned utilities in an unprecedented emergency power restoration mission in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria. The company receives EEI's "2018 Emergency Assistance Award for Puerto Rico Restoration."
2019
OG&E adds two new power plants to its generation fleet: River Valley, located near Poteau, Okla., and Frontier, located in Oklahoma City.
2019
OG&E commits to reducing its environmental footprint and is at the forefront of the industry. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions have decreased by approximately 90 percent, nitrogen oxide (NOx) by approximately 75 percent and carbon dioxide (CO2) by more than 40 percent, below 2005 levels. OG&E expects to reduce CO2 emissions to 50 percent below 2005 levels by 2030.
2020
Through a long-standing partnership between OG&E and the Choctaw Nation, the Choctaw Nation Solar Farm is constructed in Durant, Oklahoma. The 5 MW solar farm is comprised of 35 acres of land and 15,000 solar panels.
OG&E adds an additional 5 MW solar farm in Davis, Oklahoma, increasing total solar capacity to approximately 22.5 MW.
2020
OG&E begins the Oklahoma Grid Enhancement plan (OGE Plan) to further enhance the system, making it more reliable, resilient, secure and efficient for the benefit of customers. The OGE Plan focuses on new systems that promote a self-healing grid.
2021
OG&E expands the Choctaw Nation Solar Farm in Durant, Oklahoma by 5 MW and builds a new 5 MW solar farm in Branch, Arkansas -- the company’s first universal solar offering for Arkansas customers. Together, these additions bring OG&E's total solar power generation to 32.5 MW.
