Midwest Energy is seeking Board approval of a natural gas rate case, along with changes to language in electric and natural gas tariffs, 变化将于1月1日生效. 1, 2025. The new rates would ensure rates remain balanced across classes and keep tariff language up-to-date.
对该公司而言，费率几乎是收入中性的. 根据提案, an average residential customer would see their bill 增加 less than 1 percent, or roughly 58 cents per month; 普通商业客户会看到他们的账单 增加 .55%，即每月约76美分. 大多数其他顾客会觉得微不足道 减少. While revenue from the 优德app下载安装 class would increase about $105,000元/年, revenue from other classes would decrease for a system-wide revenue reduction of about $12,000元/年.
根据提案, the 气体 Cost of Service Rider would be renamed the 气体 Cost of Delivery Rider, 并且会重置所有类别. For residential customers, this would result in a decrease from $3.每月48美元降到1美元.每月74英镑. 900美元的,000 annual cap on the 气体 Cost of Delivery Rider would be eliminated, 而未来的增长上限为4%.每年5%. These changes are consistent with our goals of keeping any increases under the rate of inflation. 最后, language would be added to the Energy Cost Adjustment (ECA) and Purchased 气体 Adjustment (PGA) for collecting revenue for reserves to hedge against wholesale energy prices and future capacity needs.
Informational public meetings have been scheduled throughout the service territory, 并邀请所有客户参加. 会议时间表如下：
Phillipsburg: October 24 @ Huck Boyd 社区 Center (860 Park St.) - 6 p.m.
瀚纳仕：10月29日@ BriefSpace(西街219号. 10) - 6点.m.
科尔比：10月30日@城市边界会议中心(2227 S. 范围大街.) - 6 p.m.
Scott City: 11月ember 7 @ Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center (212 E. 15日圣.) - 6 p.m.
Open Meeting for the Board to consider and vote on the changes: 11月ember 18 @ Midwest Energy Office, 海斯(1330坎特伯雷博士.) - 1 p.m.
问答：
Q: Since there's no overall revenue increase, why are rate changes necesary?
A: The costs of capital improvements plus operating and administrative expenses have increased since the last general rate case in 2021. Annual adjustments such as the 气体 Cost of Service Rider (proposed to become 气体 Cost of Delivery Rider) adjusted automatically to cover property taxes and most capital additions. 然而, 其他费用，如工资, 车辆, 工具, 自动驾驶汽车不包括保险. Every few years Midwest Energy changes its base rates to match those expenses. This proposal replaces the current base rate and riders with a formula rate resulting in an annual rate adjustment for the prior year’s capital additions and operating expense changes.
Q: What’s the purpose of the customer charge, and will it change?
A: The customer charge is intended to cover costs that vary more closely with the number of customers served rather than the amount of gas consumed. 例如仪表, 监管机构, 院子里行, 抄表, 计费和客户服务功能. 在利率变化下, the base residential customer charge will see no change while the 商业 customer charge will see an increase of $4 per month. 所有其他费率类别将略有增加. The residential delivery charge would increase from 16 cents to 19.每瓶9美分.
问：我的账单会增加多少?
A: A cost-of-service study was performed by independent consultants to fairly assign costs across rate classes. 基于费率分类和消费, the impact will vary – an overall bill may increase or decrease. A residential customer will see the following monthly bills (before taxes) for the indicated therms used, 假设每热53美分的天然气成本：
商业 retail customers will see the following bills (before taxes):
问：其他费率表有变动吗?
是的, several electric and gas rate schedules are being revised. 点击这里 to read all proposed revisions to rate schedules and tariffs.
问：上次加息是什么时候?
答：优德app下载安装公司上一次普遍加息是在2021年. 优德app下载安装公司努力控制成本, and by employing cost-saving technology and improved procedures we have kept our rates stable for several years. 然而, a 2023 cost-of-service study revealed the need to update our rate structures.
Q: Who determines when a rate increase is necessary, and by how much?
A: Midwest Energy’s Executive Staff continuously monitors the financial stability of the cooperative and makes recommendations to the Board of Directors to determine if or when a rate increase is necessary. 建立新的税率结构, 一个独立的, experienced firm was hired to review and recommend changes to our rates.
Q: How do Midwest Energy’s rates compare to other gas utilities in Kansas?
A: Midwest Energy’s 优德app下载安装 and 商业 natural gas delivery rates historically have consistently been the lowest in the state compared to the other Kansas gas utilities. 作为建议, Midwest Energy’s 优德app下载安装 gas rates will remain among the lowest with 商业 rates still being the lowest compared to the other Kansas gas utilities.
Q: Will Midwest Energy still have a Cold Weather Rule to prevent service disconnection in the winter?
是的. The rate changes don’t impact the Cold Weather Rule (CWR) for residential customers.
Q: When will the Board of Directors vote on these changes, and can I attend that meeting?
A: Midwest Energy's Board of Directors will consider and vote on the proposed changes at an open public meeting on Monday, 11月. 下午1点18分.m. 在优德app下载安装办公室，1330坎特伯雷博士. 在海斯. 欢迎所有优德app下载安装公司的成员参加.
Q: What is the effective date of the new rates, and when would I see them on my bill?
A: The rates will go into effect with the first billing cycle based on 抄表s beginning Jan. 1, 2025.
问：客户如何向董事会表达关切?
A: Customers may send comments regarding the rate changes to Justin MacDonald, 客户服务副总裁 电子邮件，或致电1-800-222-3121.