PSC to hold lcoal electric rate hearings

Empire District Electric's $13.44 monthly average rate increase is topic

The Missouri Public Service Commission is holding local public hearings in Reeds Spring and Joplin Nov. 22 to receive customer comment on an electric rate increase case led by Empire District Electric Co.

The schedule is as follows:

In Reeds Spring, the meeting will be at noon Nov. 22 in the Reeds Spring Regional Telecommunication Community Resource Center at Reeds Spring High School on Highway 413 South.

In Joplin, the meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. at Webster Hall on the campus of Missouri Southern State College, 3950 E. Newman Road.

On April 30, Empire District Electric Co. led an electric rate case with the PSC, seeking to increase annual electric revenues by approximately $38.3 million. The company says that for the average residential customer using 750 kilowatt hours of electricity a month, the proposed increase would be approximately $13.44 a month.

The PSC is scheduled to hold formal evidentiary hearings in the case Dec. 6 through Dec. 17 in room 310 of the Governor's Ofce Building in Jefferson City.

Empire District Electric Co. serves approximately 136,900 electric customers in Barry, Barton, Cedar, Christian, Dade, Dallas, Greene, Hickory, Jasper, McDonald, Newton, Polk, St. Clair, Stone and Taney counties in Missouri.