Kansas Corporation Commission announces increase in settlement of Kansas Gas rate increase

Kansas Gas taxpayers will have to budget for slightly higher payments following a settlement announced Thursday by the Kansas Corporation Commission.

KCC approved a $35 million rate increase after Kansas Gas requested an increase of more than $58 million. As a result, average-use residential customers can expect an increase of $3.83 per month, or just over $46 per year under the new rate schedule.

The approved increase is less than proposed. Kansas Gas originally requested permission to use a two-rate structure based on consumption. Both KCC staff and the Citizens Service Payers Board opposed this approach, saying the residential rate increase would amount to more than $6.70 a month to almost $9.50 a month. Kansas Gas also withdrew a proposal for a performance-based rate system that would have given the utility a chance to adjust rates annually.

This is the first time in five years for Kansas Gas before KCC. The company says it has invested $600 million in capital investments since the last rate case.