Public hearings scheduled for Empire rate request

Area residents wanting to express their opinions or ask questions about a proposed Empire District Electric Co. rate increase will get their chance in March.
 
Hearings are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. March 22 and 11:30 a.m. March 23, both in Webster Hall on the Missouri Southern State University campus in Joplin, as well as 5:30 p.m. March 23 at Reeds Spring High School. Hearings begin with a question and answer session followed by a public hearing and comment period.

Joplin-based Empire (NYSE: EDE) filed a request with the Missouri Public Service Commission in October for a 19.6 percent increase in electric rates for Missouri customers. The rate change, if approved, would boost annual revenues by $68.2 million, and the monthly bill for a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity would increase by about $19.

The increase, according to company officials, would recover investments the company has made or is making in its electric system, including environmental upgrades at its Iatan Unit 1 and the construction of Iatan Unit 2 and the Plum Point Generating Station.
Empire District Electric serves 148,000 electric customers in 16 Missouri counties, including Christian, Dallas, Greene, Polk, Stone and Taney counties.

Shares of Empire stock closed Monday at $18.72, compared to a 52-week range of $11.92–$19.36.[[In-content Ad]]