In February 2025, Liberty Electric Utility (also known as Empire District Electric Company), asked for a $152 million electric rate case (29.64%). Liberty already had the highest electric rates in Missouri. This utility serves parts of the communities of Branson, Joplin, West Plains, and certain areas around the outskirts of Springfield, MO.
In July 2025, Consumers Council participated in multiple local public hearings throughout southwest Missouri, with attendance ranging from 100 to 200 people. Considerable evidence was placed into the record about fiascos with Liberty’s new billing system, such as inaccurate and delayed bills, multiple bills, and inconsistent information from customer service. Some testified that they were unable to afford the past due bills (covering time periods as long as 6 – 9 months) and others testified that they paid the bills they received for the purpose of avoiding an overdue notice, even though they were not certain the bills were accurate.
A separate investigation into these billing problems was initiated by the Missouri Public Service Commission (“PSC”) Staff, exploring problems with the utility’s new billing system. This investigation has been delayed many times, and no findings have been issued as of yet.
Consumers Council’s position is that the utility’s billing and customer service issues have been so extensive that the utility is not meeting the “adequate service” standard and thus should be disqualified from receiving any rate increase.
However, on January 14, 2026, the PSC approved a conditional rate increase of $97 million, phased in over a 3-year period, providing that the increases will not start until the utility can comply with existing billing rules for three months in a row. The costs of the software that caused the billing problems will not be included in the rate increase, at least until certain yet-to-be-determined metrics are met.
Consumers Council is disappointed in the decision and is still exploring our legal avenues to challenge it. However, we are glad that the PSC is beginning to take Liberty’s billing issues seriously.
- The decision includes an income-based assistance program, funded by utility shareholders in the amount of $900,000 per year, as recommended by Consumers Council.
- The decision also includes a shareholder-funded arrearage forgiveness fund in the amount of $8.5 million. We note that Liberty currently has past due arrearages of over $18 million in total, averaging over $600 per overdue bill, which has grown significantly due to the utility’s billing problems.
For more information, see Case No. ER-2024-0261
