Utilities

Consumers Council of Missouri works hard to reduce what communities that have long been the target of structural oppression spend on basic energy. Losing utility service, or cutting back on service to reduce utility bills, is not only dangerous to health and safety but may also affect whether a family can continue to reside in their home. Through advocacy and community engagement, we focus on keeping utility costs affordable by challenging rate increases and working to maintain and expand customer assistance programs.

Articles regarding consumer utilities issues from Consumers Council of Missouri.

Sandra Padgett and Jackie Hutchinson to Speak at MO Council on Aging Lunch and Learn

Missouri Council on Aging Learning Lab: The Impact of Energy Inflation on Older Adults in Missouri, featuring Sandra Padgett, CCM Executive Director, and Jacqueline Hutchinson, CCM Director of Advocacy Date: Wednesday, February 28, 2024 Time: 11:30am-12:00pm Location: Virtual Only (link provided after registration is complete) Register here:

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2024 Utility Bills You Should be Aware of

The Missouri legislative session provides creative ways to enable utilities to increase their rates.  These bills would affect everyone’s bottom line, hitting those with low- and moderate-income especially hard. If you view yourself as an educated consumer, you should be familiar with these bills. Construction Work in Progress (“CWIP”): Senate Bill 928 (Senator Mike Cierpiot) Misleadingly referred to as the “Missouri Clean Power Act”, this bill provides an opportunity for utilities to...

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John Coffman, Utility Consumer Counsel, explains the burden consumers will face with MSD’s recent rate increase proposal.

https://www.timesnewspapers.com/webster-kirkwoodtimes/calls-msd-increase-unconscionable/article_95bf5462-950a-11ee-ae92-a376429c6008.html

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Consumers Council urges the MSD Board of Trustees to Adopt a Lower Rate Increase

On November 9, 2023, the MSD Board of Trustees will determine how high they will increase their rates over the next four years. The MSD Staff has proposed a 4-year wastewater rate increase which would increase consumers costs by 32.30%. Alternatively, in a minority report, four rate commissioners have recommended a 24.18% rate increase. They stated, “There is a cost to being overly conservative, and in this case, the cost is being borne by those who are least able to afford it in our...

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MO PSC Approves Evergy’s Amended Application Seeking Tariff Revisions to TOU Program

On September 27, 2023, the Missouri Public Service Commission approved Evergy’s request to revise its Time-of-Use (“TOU”) program. The default TOU rate for Evergy customers will now be the low differential Peak Adjustment, instead of the high differential default TOU previously mandated. Consumers Council has expressed concerns about TOU default rates, especially when customers are not provided with enough education and sufficient time to enable them to change their...

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Need Utility Assistance?

For more information, see Missouri Utility Assistance Guide.

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Ameren rates will be going up. The question is: Who will pay, and how much?

The state authorized Ameren last month to raise rates enough to boost revenue by nearly 9% or about $220 million a year. The parties discussed at a hearing on Thursday how to divide the costs between residential and industrial customers. “It’s just a matter of how do you split the pie,” said John Coffman, a lawyer who advocates on utility issues for the Consumers Council of Missouri, describing the case ahead of the hearing. “That’s the one main issue that has not been resolved.” The...

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Missouri regulators, worried Spire is stoking fear, order the company to write letter to customers

The PSC’s motion Thursday said that Spire’s recent messaging to its regional customers — including emails and letters sent with bills — “appear to reflect an attempt by Spire to mobilize public opinion, through fear, in order to potentially pressure federal authorities” “We have heard a lot of fearmongering lately, much of it coming from Spire, itself, that residents of St. Louis are going to lose their natural gas service this winter,” FERC Chairman Richard Glick said at the...

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