Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Joplin hearings set on Empire District Electric's $24.3 million rate hike request

(From the Public Service Commission)

The Missouri Public Service Commission will hold two local public hearings in Joplin on February 19, 2015, in an electric rate case filed by The Empire District Electric Company.  The local public hearing schedule appears below. 
February 19, 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 19, 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.

These local public hearings will be held in a facility that meets 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, emailpscinfo@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 to 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.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Like it makes a difference

Anonymous said...

NO

Ron said...

As someone in the industry, but not affiliated with Empire, I can assure you that the laws passed in Jefferson City and DC have EVERYTHING to do with what will happen with your electric rates today and into the future. Why are Empire's rates going up? Just look at the environmental improvements they had to make to their Asbury powerplant to comply with EPA regulations. And now look at how much Empire will have to pay individuals who put up solar panels. There's only one place for all that money to come from...and that's the customers. It's only going to get worse.

Anonymous said...

The real burden falls on local business as business rates will increase many multiples of the residential rates. Ultimately this will drive business (and jobs) away. Joplin has VERY expensive industrial rates compared to other parts of the country -- in part due to the bulk of rate increases falling on business.