Consumers Council is an intervenor in Liberty Electric’s request for a 29.64% rate increase in southwest Missouri. The Energy Burden Assessment from Empower DataWorks sheds light on the challenges faced by Liberty customers, revealing that a significant number of households are burdened by high energy costs. The assessment, using data from 2023, highlights the financial strain many residents face: 39% of households earn below 60% of the state median income, and 14% live below the federal poverty level.
With 37,000 out of 114,000 households identified as having a high energy burden, the need for targeted assistance is urgent. The assessment provides several potential action plans for Liberty to take, including:
- Forming initiatives to identify, target outreach, and direct assistance to high energy burden households;
- Expanding programming to community organizations and implement an energy ambassador program in high burden areas to increase awareness of assistance programs through trusted community members; and
- Designing a new affordability program, targeted at high energy burden customers, modeled by existing plans from Spire and Ameren.
Many of these solutions are community-driven, leveraging local trust and relationships to reach those most in need. With both low-cost and more intensive programs, Liberty can make a lasting difference in the lives of those struggling to manage their energy expenses.
Local Public Hearings on Liberty’s +29.64% rate increase will be held July 21 – 24, 2025 in Joplin, Nixa, Bolivar, Branson, and Aurora. Virtual hearings will be held on July 23 and 25, 2025. More information regarding hearing times and locations is available here:
https://efis.psc.mo.gov/Document/Display/832922
(Read the full Liberty Report here: https://efis.psc.mo.gov/Document/Display/805945)