Oklahoma has taken legal action against two Texas-based natural gas companies, accusing them of manipulating gas supplies to drive up prices during Winter Storm Uri in 2021. The companies in question are Dallas-based ET Gathering & Processing and Houston-based Symmetry Energy Solutions. The lawsuits, filed in Osage County, seek both actual and punitive damages, as well as a portion of any profits gained through fraudulent practices.
Oklahoma's Attorney General, a Republican named Gentner Drummond, expressed outrage at the alleged misconduct, stating that the level of fraud committed during the storm was significant and unacceptable. Drummond's office plans to pursue further legal action against other companies suspected of engaging in market manipulation.
Winter Storm Uri brought frigid temperatures and widespread power outages, impacting millions of individuals across the country. The lawsuits filed by Oklahoma are part of a broader effort to hold accountable those believed to have taken advantage of the crisis for financial gain.
In response to the allegations, Symmetry Energy Solutions has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and vowed to vigorously defend itself in court. ET Gathering & Processing, the other defendant, has not yet issued a public statement regarding the lawsuits.
This legal action follows similar moves in other states affected by Winter Storm Uri. Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach filed a lawsuit against a natural gas marketer, while in Texas, the electric utility Griddy Energy reached a settlement with regulators over exorbitant electric bills faced by its customers.
