PR-10-75 -- PSC Schedules Hearings In May In Empire District Electric Company Rate Case

Contact: Kevin Kelly (751-9300)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- NOVEMBER 6, 2009

JEFFERSON CITY---The Missouri Public Service Commission is scheduled to begin formal evidentiary hearings on May 3, 2010 in an electric rate case filed by The Empire District Electric Company (Empire).

Hearings are scheduled for May 3-14, 2010 in Room 310 of the Governor Office Building, 200 Madison Street, Jefferson City.  The Governor Office Building meets accessibility standards required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.  Any person who needs additional accommodations to participate in these hearings, please call the Missouri Public Service Commission’s hotline at 1-800-392-4211 (voice) or Relay Missouri at 711 prior to the hearings.

The Public Service Commission will hold local public hearings to receive customer comment on the rate proposal.  That schedule will be announced when dates, times and locations have been finalized.

Applications to intervene and participate in this case must be filed no later than November 20, 2009, with Steven C. Reed, Missouri Public Service Commission, P.O. Box 360, Jefferson City, Missouri 65102.  Copies of the application should be sent to: James C. Swearengen, Brydon, Swearengen & England, P.C., 312 East Capitol Avenue, P.O. Box 456, Jefferson City, Missouri 65102; and the Office of the Public Counsel, P.O. Box 2230, Jefferson City, Missouri 65102.  The Office of the Public Counsel is a separate state agency that represents the general public in matters before the Commission. 

On October 29, 2009, Empire filed an electric rate case with the Missouri Public Service Commission seeking to increase annual electric revenues by approximately $68.1 million.  According to the company, a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity would experience a monthly increase of approximately $19.21 under the rate request.

The Empire District Electric Company serves approximately 148,000 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 counties.

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Case No. ER-2010-0130