Joplin hearings set for Empire District rate increase plan

(From the Missouri Public Service Commission)

The Missouri Public Service Commission will hold local public hearings in Joplin and Reeds Spring in an electric rate case filed by The Empire District Electric Company. The local public hearing schedule appears below.

February 17, 2015—Joplin. Plaster Hall Building, Cornell Auditorium, Missouri Southern State University, 3950 East Newman Road. A PSC staff public information/question and answer session starts at 12:00 p.m. with the taking of sworn testimony to follow.

February 17, 2015—Joplin. Plaster Hall Building, Cornell Auditorium, Missouri Southern State University, 3950 East Newman Road. A PSC staff public information/question and answer session starts at 6:00 p.m. with the taking of sworn testimony to follow.

February 18, 2015—Reeds Spring. Reeds Spring City Hall, 22601 Main Street. A PSC staff public information/question and answer session starts at12:00 p.m. with the taking of sworn testimony to follow.

These local public hearings will be held in facilities that meet the accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Any person who needs additional accommodations to participate in these hearings should call the Public Service Commission’s hotline at 1-800-392-4211 (voice) or Relay Missouri at 711 before the hearings.

If you are unable to attend a local public hearing and wish to make written comments or secure additional information, you may contact the Public Service Commission, P.O. Box 360, Jefferson City, Missouri 65102, telephone 1-800-392-4211, email pscinfo@psc.mo.gov or the Office of the Public Counsel, P.O. Box 2230, Jefferson City, Missouri 65102-2230, telephone 1-866-922-2959, email opcservice@ded.mo.gov .

On August 29, 2014, The Empire District Electric Company filed an electric rate case with the Missouri Public Service Commission seeking to increase annual electric revenues by approximately $24.3 million. According the company, a residential customer using 1,000 kWh (1,000 kilowatt-hours) of electricity would see a monthly increase of approximately $9.87 under the rate request.

The Empire District Electric Company serves approximately 148,200 electric customers in the Missouri counties of Barry, Barton, Cedar, Christian, Dade, Dallas, Greene, Hickory, Jasper, Lawrence, McDonald, Newton, Polk, St. Clair, Stone and Taney.