TOPEKA – The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) is holding a public hearing to allow Empire District Electric (Liberty) customers the opportunity to ask questions and make comments about the company’s recent rate increase request.

On May 28, Empire filed an application with the KCC requesting to increase its rates to recover the costs of three wind projects, the retirement of its Asbury coal plant, and investments to strengthen and modernize its electric infrastructure and systems. If approved, residential customers with average usage will pay an additional $4.97 per month, an increase of 4.47%. 

The public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, November 16 beginning at 6 p.m. The meeting will be held virtually over Zoom to make it convenient for Empire customers in all Kansas service areas to participate. The increase would impact all of Empire’s 9,688 Kansas retail customers, of which 8,203 are residential, 1,279 are commercial, 50 are industrial, and 150 are public authority and street and highway customers.

To join the meeting as a participant, with the ability to make a public comment or ask a question, customers should register in advance of the meeting using this link. To view the hearing without participating, tune in to the KCC YouTube channel (no registration required). For those unable to watch live, the hearing will be recorded and available on YouTube for later viewing.

Comments will be accepted through March 10, 2022 at 5 p.m. In addition to the public hearing, customers can also submit a comment on the KCC’s website, in a letter to the KCC Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, 1500 SW Arrowhead, Topeka, KS 66604-4027 or a call to 1-800-662-0027 or 785-271-3140.