Nearly 500 Norman residents have committed to purchase enough solar energy to power more than 150 homes year-round through OG&E’s Solar Power program. Most of those commitments came in April and May as the company targeted Norman to add subscribers to its latest solar project.

“Our Norman customers have been early adopters of new energy technology, beginning with the adoption of wind energy followed by the selection of the city as the pilot city for our smart grid and SmartHours plan almost 10 years ago,” said Brian Alford, OG&E spokesman. “As we’re expanding our solar acreage, we wanted to give our Norman customers the opportunity to participate in our latest universal solar offering.”

The company is currently installing two new, five-megawatt solar energy centers in southeast Oklahoma. Solar power from these installations, located in Davis and Durant, will be available in August. Half of the energy from the solar is being subscribed to by the Chickasaw and Choctaw Nations to meet their renewable energy goals.

OG&E promoted its solar power program to Norman customers in April and May to raise awareness of the new solar offerings and provide an opportunity for Norman customers to be early adopters.

Alford added that OG&E Solar Power offers customers the environmental benefits of solar without the upfront costs and maintenance required by installing solar panels on their home or business. The company’s electric rates are among the lowest in the country, which makes rooftop solar applications much less economic than in higher cost states.

OG&E was the first utility in Oklahoma to offer universal solar power to customers when it installed its first solar energy center in Oklahoma City in 2015. This was followed by another solar energy center near Covington, Oklahoma. With the new projects, OG&E will have approximately 220 acres of solar on its system.  

OG&E Solar Power brings environmental benefits to both the company and its customers. Since 2005, OG&E has reduced its sulfur dioxide emissions by 90%, nitrogen oxide emissions by 75% and carbon dioxide emissions by 40%. By enrolling in the OG&E Solar Power program, customers help OG&E make further emissions reductions and also help reduce their own carbon footprint through their use of zero-emission energy.

Through its program, OG&E has made solar power affordable to everyone, including those that may not have the means or ability to install rooftop solar.

Customers interested in OG&E Solar Power may visit oge.com/solar, where they can estimate their cost and environmental impact using the Solar Calculator. If solar energy is still available, customers may enroll in the program online.