Comment Period Opens for Electric Rate Changes

Midwest Energy is proposing new electric rates across all classes. If approved, the new rates would take effect Feb. 1, 2026, and see the average residential customer’s bill increase annually an average of 5.4%, or just over $6 per month, each year over three years. 

The new rates would increase revenue annually by approximately $4.9 million across all rate classes, making this the first increase in distribution rates for the company since 2011. Costs for high-voltage transmission, property taxes and wholesale market changes are adjusted more frequently.

“Midwest Energy has held rates steady in the face of inflation for 14 years,” said Patrick Parke, Midwest Energy’s CEO. “We have entered a multi-decade effort to rebuild critical infrastructure like substations and powerlines which will require significant capital, and when combined with ongoing inflationary pressures, we’ve reached the point where this rate case is necessary,” Parke added.

“Delivery” begins appearing on bills. Also notable in this rate case is a proposal to rename several line items on all customer bills. What today is shown as “Customer Charge” becomes “Electric Fixed Delivery Charge.” What today is “Demand Charge” becomes “Generation Demand Charge” and “Delivery Demand Charge.” Also, what today appears as “Energy Charge” will be split into “Energy Charge” and “Energy Delivery Charge.” These changes are due to updates to Kansas tax statutes in 2023, which allow itemized delivery charges to be removed from the taxable basis for Kansas sales tax. Itemizing delivery charges on bills saves Midwest Energy customers roughly $2.5 million per year every year, without changing customer rates.   

Preliminary numbers for the rate case and tariff revisions are being assembled and will be available for review in August at www.mwenergy.com/residential/electric-rate-changes. Final versions of rate case numbers and tariffs will be available no later than Oct. 1, 2025. 

The Board of Directors will consider and vote on the proposed rate changes during an open meeting Monday, Nov. 17 at 1 p.m. at Midwest Energy’s office, 1330 Canterbury Dr., in Hays. All members are welcome to attend.

Members may submit comments on the proposed changes no later than Friday, Nov. 7 by e-mail to Justin MacDonald, Vice President of Customer Service, at jmacdonald@mwenergy.com, or by phone at 1-800-222-3121. 

Members are also invited to attend one of five public information meetings discussing the proposed rate changes:
Lyons: Oct. 28, 6:30-7:30 pm, Lyons Public Library.
Colby: Nov. 5, 6:30-7:30 pm, Colby Community College Student Union.
Kinsley: Nov. 11, 6:30-7:30 pm, Kinsley City Hall Meeting Room.
Hays: Nov. 12, 6:30-7:30 pm, Hilton Garden Inn Convention Center.
Great Bend: Nov. 13, 6:30-7:30 pm, Front Door Welcome Center.