PR-11-148 -- MEDIA REMINDER: PSC To Hold Local Public Hearings In Joplin and Reeds Spring in Empire District Electric Rate Case

Contact: Gregg Ochoa (573) 522-2760

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- MARCH 17, 2011

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

March 22—Joplin.  Two local public hearings will be held at Webster Hall, Missouri Southern State University, 3950 East Newman Road.  A PSC staff public information/question and answer session for the first hearing starts at 11:30 a.m. with the local public hearing and the taking of sworn testimony to follow.  A second local public hearing will start at 5:30 p.m. with a PSC staff public information/question and answer session.  The local public hearing and the taking of sworn testimony will follow. 

March 23—Reeds Spring.  Tri-Lakes TCRC, 20277 State Highway 413.  The hearing will be held in the Interactive Television (“ITV”) Room.  A PSC staff public information/question and answer session will start at 11:30 a.m. with the local public hearing and 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 prior to the hearings.

If customers wish to comment or secure information, they may contact the Office of the Public Counsel, P.O. Box 2230, Jefferson City, Missouri 65102, telephone (866) 922-2959, e-mail opcservice@ded.mo.gov or the Public Service Commission, P.O. Box 360, Jefferson City, Missouri 65102, telephone 800-392-4211, e-mail pscinfo@psc.mo.gov .

On September 28, 2010, Empire filed an electric rate case with the Missouri Public Service Commission seeking to increase annual electric revenues by approximately $36.5 million (9.2%).  According to the company, a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity would experience a monthly increase of approximately $13.62 under the rate request.  The company also seeks to continue the use of the Fuel Adjustment Clause (FAC).  The continuation of the FAC will allow Empire to adjust customer bills twice a year based on the varying costs of fuel used to generate electricity at the company’s plants and electricity purchased by the company on behalf of its customers.

Formal evidentiary hearings in this rate case are scheduled for May 23-27, 2011 and June 2-3, 2011.  Hearings will be held in the Governor Office Building, 200 Madison Street, Jefferson City.

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.

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Case No. ER-2010-0130