OMPA rep, Koch visit Kingfisher Rotary

Steve Mathena, right, of Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority, of which Kingfisher is a member, was the guest speaker of the Kingfisher Rotary Club last week. He is pictured with Rick Koch of Weatherford, who was a guest at the meeting. Koch, a Republican, is running for the Oklahoma District 26 Senate seat to be vacated by Kingfisher resident Darcy Jech. Mathena told Rotarians and guests of the structure of OMPA, which serves 43 communities. OMPA was created by the state legislature in 1981 as a joint-action agency to provide reliable, affordable and wholesale power to municipally-owned electric systems. It began operations on July 1, 1985, with 26 member cities. It is invested in diverse energy resources, including natural gas and increasing reliance on renewable energy, with 33% of its mix coming from wind and hydro in 2021 and continues to provide power to over 250,000 Oklahomans, focusing on low-cost, reliable service through community- owned, not-for-profit operations. OMPA is governed by an 11-person board of directors, consisting of representatives from member cities, and is managed by a team focused on providing wholesale power and energy services. [KT&FP Staff Photo]