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Electric bill rates for customers of Public Service Company of Oklahoma will remain at an interim rate that went into effect in October, marking a nearly $120 million annual increase.

The permanent rate hike was approved Wednesday by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. On average, residential customers will see a $12 per month increase.

A PSO spokesperson says the approval was needed to enhance grid reliability leading to shorter and less frequent outages, especially with Oklahoma’s extreme weather and continued population growth.

However, the rate increase was condemned by AARP-Oklahoma, citing seniors sacrificing and making choices between food, medicine and keeping the lights on.

PSO says overall utility bill amounts have gone down over the last year for customers because of lower fuel costs. Fuel costs are not a set amount and can fluctuate with market demand.

Additionally, PSO has requested approval for two additional rate increases in 2025.