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Commitments and Contingencies
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2012
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies
Commitments and Contingencies
 
Except as set forth below and in Note 13, the circumstances set forth in Notes 16 and 17 to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company's 2011 Form 10-K appropriately represent, in all material respects, the current status of the Company's material commitments and contingent liabilities.

OG&E Railcar Lease Agreement
 
OG&E has a noncancellable operating lease with purchase options, covering 1,391 coal hopper railcars to transport coal from Wyoming to OG&E's coal-fired generation units.  Rental payments are charged to Fuel Expense and are recovered through OG&E's tariffs and fuel adjustment clauses. On December 15, 2010, OG&E renewed the lease agreement effective February 1, 2011.  At the end of the new lease term, which is February 1, 2016, OG&E has the option to either purchase the railcars at a stipulated fair market value or renew the lease.  If OG&E chooses not to purchase the railcars or renew the lease agreement and the actual fair value of the railcars is less than the stipulated fair market value, OG&E would be responsible for the difference in those values up to a maximum of $22.8 million.

On January 11, 2012, OG&E executed a five-year lease agreement for 135 railcars to replace railcars that have been taken out of service or destroyed. OG&E is also required to maintain all of the railcars it has under lease to transport coal from Wyoming and has entered into agreements with Progress Rail Services and WATCO, both of which are non-affiliated companies, to furnish this maintenance.

OG&E Wind Farm Land Lease Agreements

OG&E has wind farm land operating leases for its Centennial, OU Spirit and Crossroads wind farms expiring at various dates. Although the leases are cancellable, OG&E is required to make annual lease payments as long as the wind turbines are located on the land. OG&E does not expect to terminate the leases until the wind turbines reach the end of their economic life. Future minimum payments for these operating leases are as follows:
(In millions)
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017 and Beyond
Total
OG&E wind farm land leases
$
2.0

$
2.0

$
2.1

$
2.1

$
2.1

$
53.9

$
64.2



Natural Gas Measurement Cases
 
Will Price, et al. v. El Paso Natural Gas Co., et al. (Price I).  On September 24, 1999, various subsidiaries of OGE Energy were served with a class action petition filed in the District Court of Stevens County, Kansas by Quinque Operating Company and other named plaintiffs alleging the mismeasurement of natural gas on non-Federal lands.  On April 10, 2003, the court entered an order denying class certification.  On May 12, 2003, the plaintiffs (now Will Price, Stixon Petroleum, Inc., Thomas F. Boles and the Cooper Clark Foundation, on behalf of themselves and other royalty interest owners) filed a motion seeking to file an amended class action petition, and the court granted the motion on July 28, 2003.  In its amended petition, OG&E and Enogex Inc. were omitted from the case but two of OGE Energy's other subsidiary entities remained as defendants.  The plaintiffs' amended petition seeks class certification and alleges that 60 defendants, including two of OGE Energy's subsidiary entities, have improperly measured the volume of natural gas.  The amended petition asserts theories of civil conspiracy, aiding and abetting, accounting and unjust enrichment.  In their briefing on class certification, the plaintiffs seek to also allege a claim for conversion.  The plaintiffs seek unspecified actual damages, attorneys' fees, costs and pre-judgment and post-judgment interest.  The plaintiffs also reserved the right to seek punitive damages.
 
On September 18, 2009, the court entered its order denying class certification.  On October 2, 2009, the plaintiffs filed for a rehearing of the court's denial of class certification.  On March 31, 2010, the court denied the plaintiffs' request for rehearing. On July 20, 2011, Enogex LLC and OER filed motions for summary judgment.  On January 25, 2012, the court denied portions of the motions for summary judgment related to the legal issue of the plaintiffs' claims regarding civil conspiracy. In an order dated January 23, 2012, the court granted the plaintiffs additional time to perform discovery prior to the consideration of the motions for summary judgment as they relate to the plaintiffs' other claims. On February 7, 2012, Enogex LLC and OER filed an application in the Kansas Court of Appeals seeking appeal of the trial court's denial of their motions for summary judgment. On February 23, 2012, the Kansas Court of Appeals denied this application. On March 23, 2012, Enogex LLC and OER filed an application with the Kansas Supreme Court seeking appeal of the Kansas Court of Appeals' decision. On July 19, 2012, the plaintiffs filed a motion to dismiss Enogex LLC and OER from the action. At this time, based on currently available information, OGE Energy does not believe it is reasonably possible that it will incur a material loss related to these proceedings and, therefore, OGE Energy does not believe the outcome will have a material impact on its financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Will Price, et al. v. El Paso Natural Gas Co., et al. (Price II).  On May 12, 2003, the plaintiffs (same as those in the amended petition in Price I above) filed a new class action petition in the District Court of Stevens County, Kansas naming the same defendants and asserting substantially identical legal and/or equitable theories as in the amended petition of the Price I case.  OG&E and Enogex Inc. were not named in this case, but two of OGE Energy's other subsidiary entities were named in this case.  The plaintiffs allege that the defendants mismeasured the British thermal unit content of natural gas obtained from or measured for the plaintiffs.  In their briefing on class certification, the plaintiffs seek to also allege a claim for conversion.  The plaintiffs seek unspecified actual damages, attorneys' fees, costs and pre-judgment and post-judgment interest.  The plaintiffs also reserved the right to seek punitive damages.
 
On September 18, 2009, the court entered its order denying class certification.  On October 2, 2009, the plaintiffs filed for a rehearing of the court's denial of class certification. On March 31, 2010, the court denied the plaintiffs' request for rehearing. On July 20, 2011, Enogex LLC and OER filed motions for summary judgment.  On January 25, 2012, the court denied portions of the motions for summary judgment related to the legal issue of the plaintiffs' claims regarding civil conspiracy. In an order dated January 23, 2012, the court granted the plaintiffs additional time to perform discovery prior to the consideration of the motions for summary judgment as they relate to the plaintiffs' other claims. On February 7, 2012, Enogex LLC and OER filed an application in the Kansas Court of Appeals seeking appeal of the trial court's denial of their motions for summary judgment. On February 23, 2012, the Kansas Court of Appeals denied this application. On March 23, 2012, Enogex LLC and OER filed an application with the Kansas Supreme Court seeking appeal of the Kansas Court of Appeals' decision. On July 19, 2012, the plaintiffs filed a motion to dismiss Enogex LLC and OER from the action. At this time, based on currently available information, OGE Energy does not believe it is reasonably possible that it will incur a material loss related to these proceedings and, therefore, OGE Energy does not believe the outcome will have a material impact on its financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
 
Other
 
In the normal course of business, the Company is confronted with issues or events that may result in a contingent liability.  These generally relate to lawsuits or claims made by third parties, including governmental agencies.  When appropriate, management consults with legal counsel and other appropriate experts to assess the claim.  If, in management's opinion, the Company has incurred a probable loss as set forth by GAAP, an estimate is made of the loss and the appropriate accounting entries are reflected in the Company's Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. At the present time, based on currently available information, except as otherwise stated above, in Note 13 below, under "Environmental Laws and Regulations" in Item 2 of Part 1 and in Item 1 of Part II of this Form 10-Q, in Notes 16 and 17 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements and Item 3 of Part I of the Company's 2011 Form 10-K, the Company believes that any reasonably possible losses in excess of accrued amounts arising out of pending or threatened lawsuits or claims would not be quantitatively material to its financial statements and would not have a material adverse effect on the Company's consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.