Public Service Company of Oklahoma files for approval of Fort Sill natural gas, solar project
Following a 30-year lease with the Army established earlier this year, the Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) has filed for approval of a natural gas and solar generation and resiliency project at Fort Sill with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC).
The project would bring cleaner energy to the grid by adding 36 MW of gas-fired electric generation and 10.9 MW of solar panels across 81 acres of the fort, which is located near Lawton, Oklahoma. PSO expects the effort to cost $117.9 million, but construction could begin as early as fall next year if approved.
If successful, an option in the lease allows for the project to be extended for another 10 years beyond its initial 30-year lease. Along with filing for approval, PSO has also requested to recover the costs of the project, which should come operational in two phases: the solar panels in 2022, followed by the gas-fired operations in late 2023.
