Connect with us

Oklahoma

Your Questions Answered: The Delta-Plains Transmission Corridor

Published

on

Your Questions Answered: The Delta-Plains Transmission Corridor


Oklahoma House Speaker Designate Kyle Hilbert, (R-Bristow,) announced Thursday night at a packed meeting in Sapulpa the controversial federal plan to designate more than 600 miles of Oklahoma land as possible home for electrical transmission lines will not be built.

The proposal has prompted questions from people statewide.

Even though it’s not going to happen, Hilbert said an official word from the U.S. Department of Energy will come on Monday: here’s what we know about the proposal.

Advertisement

Q: What parts of the state would have been impacted?

A: The proposed 645-mile corridor spanned northern Oklahoma. It started near the Arkansas border by Fort Smith, paralleled I-40 near Sallisaw, then meandered north through south Tulsa County, Okmulgee County, Creek County, south of Stillwater, and across I-35, ultimately reaching Woodward and the Panhandle.

Q: What would this line have done?

A: If would have ferried electricity across the state and allowed the Southern Power Pool to move electricity across its service area to meet demand.

Q: Why build new transmission lines?

A: The SPP said in its most recent assessment report it expects an increased load on its system because there are new sources that pull power from the grid, like data centers, and utilities are retiring older power supplies like coal-fired plants. More transmission lines allow it to move electricity across the system easier and more efficiently.

Q: What does the SPP say they need to meet demand across Oklahoma and the rest of its service area?

A: It recommends new projects including:

  1. 1,788 miles of extra-high voltage transmission (EHV)
  2. 148 miles of rebuilt EHV transmission infrastructure
  3. 545 miles of new high-voltage transmission
  4. 347 miles of rebuilt high-voltage transmission.

Q: Why were people upset in Oklahoma?

A: Many were worried about eminent domain and the possibility this project would result in unwanted transmission lines being strewn across their land.

Q: What happens next?

A: The DOE is still narrowing down potential transmission corridors across the country. Hilbert did tell the crowd Thursday nobody will have lines built on their property without their approval.





Source link

Advertisement

Oklahoma

Iowa State wrestling adds Brayden Thompson from transfer portal

Published

on

Iowa State wrestling adds Brayden Thompson from transfer portal


play

Iowa State wrestling’s first commitment of the Brent Metcalf era will be a transfer portal addition.

The Cyclones added Oklahoma State transfer Brayden Thompson, who announced his commitment on April 18 via Instagram. Thompson is a one-time NCAA qualifier at the 2024 NCAA Championships, doing so as a true freshman. He redshirted in 2024-25, but competed in open tournaments at 184 pounds and was 9-0. He did not wrestle a match in 2025-26 and will have at least two years of eligibility remaining.

Advertisement

Out of high school, Thompson was ranked the No. 3 pound-for-pound wrestler and No. 1 at 182 pounds in the 2023 recruiting class by Flowrestling. He also won Powerade and Ironman titles, two of the more prestigious high school tournaments in the nation. Assuming Thompson returns to 184 pounds where he last wrestled, he should fill in nicely as a potential replacement for Isaac Dean after his graduation.

Thompson is Iowa State’s first transfer portal addition after several departures, including Anthony Echemendia and Christian Castillo, who also entered the portal.

Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.





Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Oklahoma

Oklahoma’s Jahsiear Rogers ‘Knew It Was Time to Showcase’ His Talents In Spring Game

Published

on

Oklahoma’s Jahsiear Rogers ‘Knew It Was Time to Showcase’ His Talents In Spring Game


NORMAN — The Oklahoma Sooners liked their wide receiver room a year ago. They want 2026 to be even better.

Isaiah Sategna’s return helps that desire. Earning experienced pass catchers Trell Harris and Parker Livingstone via the transfer portal gives you added play makers. But after the Sooners Spring Game on Saturday, an unlikely hero emerged.

When Jahsiear Rogers flipped from Penn State to Oklahoma last December, he drew the usual excitement that comes with a new commitment. But few expected him to climb the depth chart this quickly, even with the injuries that hit Emmett Jones’ room.

Advertisement

Rogers did just that and more on Saturday. He led all pass catchers with five receptions for 70 yards in Oklahoma’s annual Red/White game.

“I knew it was time to showcase,” Rogers said after the game. “It was amazing to see the fans and get used to the OU way. I’m a playmaker. They really want to put the ball in playmakers hands. I pretty much knew I had to lead the white team.”

Rogers got the ball rolling early. On the second offensive play for the white team, backup quarterback Whitt Newbauer rolled to his right wide, then stopped and looked towards the middle of the field where he saw Rogers running open. Newbauer connected with Rogers for a 39-yard gain.

Advertisement


Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news.

Advertisement

With Rogers on the white team, he is running against (most of) Oklahoma’s starting defense. As fate would have it, on that 39-yard reception, Rogers beat his favorite teammate to compete against — Reggie Powers.

Advertisement

“He is just a leader, good guy,” Rogers said of Powers. “Me and him go after it every day in practice. Reggie is strong. When I come at him, I have to really come at him.”

Rogers’ big play over Powers was the second-longest catch of the spring game — Sategna’s 50-yard reception that appeared to be a touchdown before coaches pulled it back to set up a red-zone rep. The other four catches weren’t flashy, but they were important in their own way, and Rogers looked like he belonged on the field.

“I love it. As long as I can get the ball, I can be me. I love it,” Rogers said. “When I am on the field, I am ready to go. I am ready to be a playmaker.”

Advertisement

The season is still months away, and Rogers hasn’t earned a spot high on the depth chart yet. A strong spring and an encouraging Red/White Game can only lead to early playing time if he carries that momentum into summer and fall camp.

More experienced players will return from injury and receivers who’ve been in the program for a few years will have an extra leg-up.

But Rogers is taking everything in stride and leaving no stone unturned in his development.

“Just learning from the older guys,” Rogers said. “Manny Choice, Isaiah Sategna, Trell Harris, Mackenzie Alleyne. Really all of them. We lean on each other, learn from each other. That is kind of how our room is.”

Advertisement

Add us as a preferred source on Google



Source link

Continue Reading

Oklahoma

Oklahoma knocks off Missouri in series opener

Published

on

Oklahoma knocks off Missouri in series opener


The Oklahoma baseball team is back in the mix and trending upward.

After a rough few weeks in Southeastern Conference play, the 14th-ranked Sooners have won three of their last four games to get to .500 at just beyond the halfway point of the league slate. Friday’s 9-6 win over Missouri allowed Oklahoma to move to 8-8, tied with three other teams for eighth in the standings.

Friday’s win wasn’t truly that close, even. OU took a 9-3 lead into the ninth before Mizzou made it somewhat interesting with three runs in the frame. Two of them came with two outs, though, and Mason Bixby induced a groundout with the bases empty to hold on.

The large edge came via a home run-happy night. The Sooners popped four over the wall at Kimrey Family Stadium, including three in a four-run seventh inning that gave OU a four-run lead.

Advertisement

Jason Walk, who hit one of the four homers, had the best day at the plate. He went 2 for 5 with the shot, three RBIs and a run. Camden Johnson, who also homered, went 2 for 3 with a walk, a double and two runs, and Dasan Harris went 2 for 4 with a home run, two RBIs, and three runs. Trey Gambill hit the Sooners’ other jack.

Oklahoma jumped out to a four-run lead in the second behind four hits and a walk. Missouri helped the Sooners out with an error that resulted in a bases-loaded situation and three unearned runs registered to Tigers starter Josh McDevitt.

The runs were more than enough for Oklahoma’s LJ Mercurius, who pitched six strong innings, giving up three runs on six hits with no walks and nine strikeouts.

Game 2 in the series is set for 4 p.m. Saturday and the finale will be played Sunday at 2 p.m., weather permitting.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending