Meet the group that approves price increases for Missouri gas and utility companies
The Star recently reported on significant increases on natural gas bills in Kansas City. Customers on the Missouri side of the state line have only one option for natural gas service: Spire Energy, which holds a monopoly on this utility in the metro area and beyond.
But despite having no direct competition for their business, Spire is subject to regulation from a government group called the Missouri Public Service Commission, or MPSC. We heard from readers who are eager to contact this agency about recent utility rate increases.
Here’s what to know about the MPSC and how to make your voice heard.
Who serves on the MPSC?
The MPSC is a non-elected group of five commissioners who are appointed by the governor and approved by the state Senate. They serve six-year terms. The current board consists of chairman Ryan A. Silvey and commissioners Scott T. Rupp, Maida J. Coleman, Jason R. Holsman and Glen Kolkmeyer.
All five commissioners are former state legislators. Silvey and Kolkmeyer used to represent districts in the Kansas City area. When in office, they and Rupp were Republicans. Holsman is a former teacher for Kansas City Public Schools, and currently lives in Kansas City with his family. When in office, he and Coleman were Democrats.
What does the MPSC do?
The agency regulates private utility companies in Missouri. This includes electric, natural gas, steam, water and sewer companies. The two main groups it regulates in the Kansas City area are Evergy Missouri Metro and Spire Missouri Inc.
When these companies want to make a change to their operations, such as charging a higher rate to customers, they must get the MPSC’s approval.
The MPSC meets once a week on Wednesdays to discuss current cases. You can find its calendar here and agenda items here. Some cases include public comment periods, while others do not. In general, decisions on rate increases that will raise a utility company’s profits will involve public feedback.
The agency’s overall goal is to strike a balance between protecting the public from unfair prices and allowing the utility companies they regulate to be profitable enough to survive and grow.
“[The MPSC] has the statutory responsibility of ensuring that consumers receive safe and adequate service at just and reasonable rates,” states the agency’s mission statement. “Those rates must be set at a level which will provide the companies’ shareholders with the opportunity, not a guarantee, to earn a reasonable return on their investment.”
In each case, the commission listens to a variety of groups including utility company representatives, commission research staff, customers who agree to be witnesses in particular cases and more. They then vote on changes like rate increases and other regulations that impact how utility companies operate and collect revenue.
How do I contact the MPSC?
In order to give your feedback to the MPSC directly, you must either submit your comments in writing or attend a public hearing to provide testimony to the commissioners. For now, hearings are being held online due to COVID-19.
Hearings are held regarding a particular case the agency is reviewing such as a request from a specific utility company to raise rates. These hearings may not allow comments that are unrelated to the case at hand. During a hearing, you cannot ask questions to the commission, but they may ask clarifying questions to you.
As of the publication of this article, there are no upcoming public hearings scheduled for pending MPSC cases. A list of upcoming hearings can be found on the MPSC’s website. You can also search for records of past cases and decisions in the agency’s database.
The other way to give feedback to the MPSC is through the Missouri Office of the Public Counsel, a separate agency that exists specifically to represent customers of “investor-owned utility companies operating as state-sanctioned monopolies” such as Spire Energy.
This group employs a small team of lawyers and experts who can help the public navigate complaints, argue on the public’s behalf during controversial cases and appeal MPSC decisions to the state’s Court of Appeals if they believe they go against the public interest. You can contact the agency by calling 573-751-4857 or emailing mopco@opc.mo.gov.
When can I give feedback on Spire’s next rate increase request?
Spire plans to file their next delivery rate review sometime this spring. Once it is filed and assigned a case number, the public can offer written comments or attend a public hearing about that particular case. Until then, utility customers can only submit comments about the burden of natural gas costs in general.
The Star will continue to report on Spire’s next rate review, including its case number and a breakdown of the increase it asks the MPSC to approve.
Do you have more questions about utility regulations in Kansas City? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.
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