JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.---The Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC) announces local public hearings, starting on July 21, 2025, to receive customer comments in an electric rate increase request case filed by the Empire District Electric Company d/b/a Liberty. There will be both in-person and virtual local public hearings.
Liberty has requested to increase rate revenues from its Missouri electric retail customers by $152.8 million per year, and increasing its monthly fixed residential customer charge from $13 to $16.
The Commission has scheduled five in-person local public hearings and two virtual local public hearings. Any person may participate at any of the hearings, but are encouraged to attend the hearing corresponding to the location nearest to their service area for the most relevant information. In order to ensure broad participation and the ability for every citizen to offer comments, comments may be time-limited.
Below is the local public hearing schedule:
July 21 — Joplin. Missouri Southern State University, Corley Hall, 3950 Newman Road.
The hearing starts at 6 p.m., beginning with a public information/question-and-answer session followed by the Commission receiving testimony from the public.
July 22 — Nixa. City Council Chambers, 715 West Mount Vernon Street.
The hearing starts at Noon, beginning with a public information/question-and-answer session followed by the Commission receiving testimony from the public.
July 22 — Bolivar. Southwest Baptist University, McClelland Joe Roberts Room (Dining Hall), 1600 University Avenue.
The hearing starts at 6 p.m., beginning with a public information/question-and-answer session followed by the Commission receiving testimony from the public.
July 23 — Branson. City Council Chambers. 110 West Maddux Street.
The hearing starts at Noon, beginning with a public information/question-and-answer session followed by the Commission receiving testimony from the public.
July 24 — Aurora. Recreation Center, 126 West Hadley Street.
The hearing starts at Noon, beginning with a public information/question-and-answer session followed by the Commission receiving testimony from the public.
July 23 — Virtual Local Public Hearing starts at 6 p.m. See further details below*
July 25 — Virtual Local Public Hearing starts at Noon. See further details below*
*To attend a virtual local public hearing by telephone, at the time of the virtual hearing, call toll-free 1-855-718-6621, listen to the prompt and enter the meeting number/access code 2861 936 9973 for the July 23 hearing at 6 p.m.); or 2866 586 9948 for the July 25 hearing at Noon; followed by # (pound/hashtag symbol). If prompted for a password, enter 0261.
To attend a virtual local public hearing by video (internet), visit the website www.webex.com. You can also download the Cisco WebEx meetings application on your mobile device, laptop, desktop or tablet prior to the hearing and join the meeting at the hearing time by entering the corresponding meeting number/access code and password listed above.
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 PSC’s hotline at 1-800-392-4211 or TDD hotline at 1-800-829-7541 before the hearings.
To facilitate an orderly presentation that can be preserved for the record, members of the public who wish to participate in the virtual hearings should register, but are not required to register, by sending their first and last name, phone number, email address and the hearing they wish to attend to
pscinfo@psc.mo.gov or by calling 1-800-392-4211 by 5 p.m. the day before the hearing.
If you are unable to attend a local public hearing and wish to make written comments, you may click the link below, contact the PSC, P.O. Box 360, Jefferson City, Mo. 65102, or by using the Commission’s electronic filing system (EFIS) at
https://psc.mo.gov/General/Submit_Comments. From this webpage, click on “e-Filing Instructions” under the heading “Submit Comments in Writing”. When submitting comments, please reference File No. ER-2024-0261.
In addition, you may also provide comments or request additional information from the Office of the Public Counsel (Governor Office Building, P.O. Box 2230, Jefferson City, Mo. 65102-2230, telephone 1-866-922-2959 (toll-free) or 573-751-4857, email
opcservice@opc.mo.gov). The Office of the Public Counsel is a separate state agency that represents the general public in matters before the Commission.
Missouri Public Service Commission