OGE Energy : PUD 2021-00164 - Direct Testimony of Lauen Maxey

BEFORE THE CORPORATION COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF	)
OKLAHOMA GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY	)
FOR AN ORDER OF THE COMMISSION	) CAUSE NO. PUD 202100164
AUTHORIZING APPLICANT TO MODIFY ITS	)
RATES, CHARGES, AND TARIFFS FOR RETAIL	)
ELECTRIC SERVICE IN OKLAHOMA	)

Direct Testimony

of

Lauren E. Maxey

on behalf of

Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company

December 30, 2021

Direct Testimony of Lauren E. Maxey	Page 1 of 9
Cause No. PUD 202100164

1 Q. Please state your name, position, by whom you are employed, and your business

2address.

1. A. My name is Lauren Maxey. I am the Lead Cost Analyst in the Cost of Service and Rate
2. Administration department for Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company ("OG&E"). My

5	business address is 321 N. Harvey, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73102.
6

1. Q. Please summarize your professional qualifications and educational background.
2. A. I have worked in OG&E's regulatory department since January 2020 in my current role.

9	My tariff and rates administration responsibilities include the maintenance of OG&E's
10	tariffs on file with the regulatory commissions and ensuring consistent application of these
11	tariffs in the manner in which they are intended. Additional duties include, but are not
12	limited to, computing rider factors and monthly retail revenue reporting. My cost of service
13	responsibilities include responsibility for operating and maintaining the Cost of Service
14	model. Prior to joining OG&E's regulatory department, I worked as a Senior Accountant
15	for three years in OG&E's Fuel and Revenue Accounting department. My responsibilities
16	included calculation of the Oklahoma Fuel Adjustment Clause, accounting for OG&E
17	transactions in the Southwest Power Pool for transmission service, accounting for fuel
18	purchases and balancing transactions, and other revenue accounting tasks and reporting.
19	Prior to joining OG&E, I was employed by Enable Midstream Partners LP
20	(formerly Enogex LLC) as a Senior Accountant in the Corporate Accounting department
21	from 2014 to 2017. I was responsible for consolidations, preparation of financial
22	statements, external reporting requirements, incentive compensation accounting and
23	reporting, and general accounting monthly, quarterly, and annual tasks. I began my career
24	in 2007 at Oklahoma Natural Gas Company as an Accountant in the General Accounting
25	department where I was responsible for various tasks of increasing complexity, including
26	accounts receivable and payable analysis, gas purchase accounting, preparation of internal
27	and external reporting, financial statement preparation and analysis, and general
28	accounting functions such as monthly journal entries and reconciliations. I earned a
29	Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Southwestern Oklahoma State University
30	in 2007.

2

1. Q. Have you previously testified before this Commission?
2. A. No, I have not.

3

1. Q. What is the purpose of your direct testimony?
2. A. The purpose of my direct testimony is to detail and support the changes that were made to
3. OG&E's tariffs. These changes may be reviewed in the Company's minimum filing

7	requirements at Schedule N.
8

9 Q. Has OG&E updated the revenue and kWh allocators in the tariffs provided in

10	Schedule N?

11 A. No. All allocators in OG&E's tariffs and riders will be updated as part of the compliance

12	filing in this cause.
13

14 Q. Do any of the changes that you will be discussing result in a substantial update or

15	change to these tariffs?

16 A. No, they do not. These changes are to provide consistency between OG&E's tariffs

17	currently on file and remove language that no longer applies to Company practices.
18
19	RESIDENTIAL TARIFF UPDATES

1. Q. What changes were made to the Residential tariffs?
2. A. The Company made changes to the Availability section of the tariffs and other minor
3. language clarifications. The Company also made edits specific to the Residential

23	Guaranteed Flat Billing ("R-GFB") tariff.
24

1. Q. What were the changes made to the Availability sections of the tariffs?
2. A. The Company removed language referencing "applicable technology." This language is

27	no longer necessary due to the full deployment of the Automated Metering Infrastructure
28	("AMI") technology. This section includes language that	addresses duplexes and
29	apartment houses served by one meter and rooming houses.	All Residential tariffs
30	Availability were standardized to utilize the same language with respect to this provision.
31	There are additional edits specific to the R-GFB tariff.
	Direct Testimony of Lauren E. Maxey	Page 3 of 9
	Cause No. PUD 202100164

1

1. Q. What are the changes to the R-GFB tariff?
2. A. The "Early Departure" section previously referenced "credits" but was changed to say a

4	"negative balance" to compliment the use of "positive balance" previously in this section.
5	The "Offer Calculation" section of the R-GFB tariff now includes a clarification
6	that "usage" includes both energy and demand. There were additional edits to clarify that
7	the Offer will include riders and mechanisms. Finally, the R-GFB tariff offer calculation
8	now includes language addressing the Winter Event Securitization ("WES") mechanism
9	charges. The WES charges will be over and above the R-GFB offer amount.
10	There will be an exception for customers who were subscribed to the R-GFB rate
11	during the February 2021 Winter Weather Event and have remained on the tariff. Those
12	customers will not be subject to payment of extraordinary fuel costs included in the
13	securitized balance and collected from customers through the Winter Event Securitization
14	Mechanism ("WES").
15
16	GENERAL SERVICE TARIFF UPDATES

1. Q. What changes were made to the General Service ("GS") tariffs?
2. A. The Company made changes to the Availability section of the tariffs as well as specific

19	edits to the GS Time-of-Use("GS-TOU"), GS Variable Peak Pricing ("GS-VPP") and GS
20	Guaranteed Flat Billing ("GS-GFB") tariffs.
21

1. Q. What are the changes to the Availability section?
2. A. First, the Availability section is updated to clarify that this rate is available to non-

24	residential customers. There is also clarifying language addressing customers that are
25	required to be on Municipal Pumping ("PM") or Oil and Gas Producers ("OGP") rates.
26

27 Q. What changes did OG&E make to the GS-TOU tariff?

28	A.	A reference to smart metering in the "Billboard Illumination and Homeowner
29		Association/Housing Addition Illumination" was removed as all standard meters are now
30		smart meters. In addition, the Best Bill Provision section now specifies that Best Bill
	Direct Testimony of Lauren E. Maxey	Page 4 of 9
	Cause No. PUD 202100164

1	calculation will now be compared to the GS Standard rate instead of the customer's
2	previous rate.
3

1. Q. What changes did OG&E make to the GS-VPP tariff?
2. A. Like the GS-TOU tariff, the Best Bill calculation will now be compared to the GS Standard

6	rate instead of the customer's previous rate. Additionally, the Availability section now
7	specifies that if a customer has both residential and non-residential usage through a single
8	meter, the GS rate will apply. This language already exists in the other GS tariff and was
9	added here for consistency.

10

1. Q. What changes did OG&E make to the General Service (GFB) tariff?
2. A. The Company is making edits to the GS-GFB tariff that are consistent with the R-GFB

13	tariff. The "Early Departure" section previously referenced "credits" but was changed to
14	say a "negative balance" to compliment the use of "positive balance" previously in this
15	section.
16	The "Offer Calculation" section of the GS-GFB tariff now includes a clarification
17	that "usage" includes both energy and demand. There were additional edits to clarify that
18	the Offer will include riders and mechanisms. Finally, the GS-GFB tariff offer calculation
19	now include language addressing Winter Event Securitization ("WES") mechanism
20	charges. The WES charges will be over and above the GS-GFB offer amount.
21	There will be an exception for customers who were subscribed to the GS-GFB rate
22	during the February 2021 Winter Weather Event and have remained on the tariff. Those
23	customers will not be subject to payment of extraordinary fuel costs included in the
24	securitized balance and collected from customers through the Winter Event Securitization
25	Mechanism ("WES").
26
27	OTHER TARIFF UPDATES

1. Q. Are any other tariffs being updated?
2. A. Yes. The Company is updating the OGP tariffs, Public Schools tariffs, LED lighting tariff,

30	and the PM tariffs, which I will discuss below. I will also address an update to the metering
31	adjustment calculation that exists in several tariffs. Additionally, Company witness Jeremy
	Direct Testimony of Lauren E. Maxey	Page 5 of 9
	Cause No. PUD 202100164