Spire wants to increase a charge on your gas bill. What it means & how to weigh in

In record-breaking heat like Kansas City is experiencing, it’s hard to imagine running your heater during the winter months. But natural gas customers in Kansas City could see higher bills this winter if a rate increase requested by Spire goes into effect.

Many residents are receiving mailers with information about the public hearings for this rate increase, which are scheduled for October. Here’s what to know about the rate hike and how to get involved.

What change is Spire hoping to make?

This past spring, Spire requested an increase to the rate they charge customers that goes toward their business expenses, including employee salaries and the cost of pipelines that deliver gas to customers’ homes.

The company is requesting a price bump of around 63% to the volumetric portion of the delivery charge, which shows up on your bill as “Winter Usage” or “Summer Usage.” If approved, the change will increase the company’s revenue by just over $143 million.

Spire currently estimates that the rate increase will raise customers’ bills by around 12.7% in the western half of the state. They calculate that amount to be around an extra $10.95 per month. However, some customers have experienced bill increases far beyond Spire’s estimates in the past, as The Star reported in March.

The delivery charge is the portion of your bill that makes Spire its profits. For that reason, any increase to its components has to be approved by the company’s regulator, the Missouri Public Service Commission (MPSC), before it goes into effect.

The MPSC’s review process for a request like this generally takes around 11 months, and it takes public feedback into account.

How can I give my opinion on this request to regulators?

Three public hearings are scheduled for October where the MPSC will review public feedback. The first, on Oct. 12, will be held in person in St. Louis. The other two hearings will be the most accessible to Kansas City residents:

October 13: A virtual hearing will be held online at noon. You can dial into the meeting by calling 1-855-718-6621. The meeting access code is 2469 900 3915. The meeting password is 0179. The meeting will also be live streamed on the commission’s website.

October 18: An in-person hearing will be held at 6 p.m. in the large meeting room of the Gregg/Klice Community Center in Kansas City. The community center is located at 1600 E. 17th Terrace.

These meetings will be split into two parts: A Q&A where the public can ask questions of Spire and Public Service Commission staff, and a second portion where attendees can testify directly to the commissioners.

If you want your opinion to be submitted as official evidence for this rate case, make sure you stick around to speak during the second half of the meeting.

What if I can’t make it to these meetings?

These hearings are not the public’s only chance to give feedback on Spire’s request. You can also submit comments online, via email or over the phone.

The Public Service Commission is reviewing Spire’s latest rate request under the case number GR-2022-0179. Typing that number into this search bar will allow you to see all the documents on file relating to this case, including comments from the public.

You can add your voice to the conversation by submitting your comments in writing here. Be sure to enter the case number in the “Case/Tracking No.” field at the bottom of the page.

You can also submit comments to the commission outside of these meeting times by calling 800-392-4211 or emailing pscinfo@psc.mo.gov.

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.

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.

Didn’t Spire increase its rates last winter?

Yes. In March, The Star reported on a significant rate hike for natural gas that caused financial hardship for many Kansas City families. The increase Spire is requesting now is in addition to that bump.

Later this fall, Spire also plans to request an increase for the rate it charges customers for natural gas itself. This rate is determined by fluctuations in the natural gas market, and Spire doesn’t profit off it. That means the MPSC is likely to approve it within two to four weeks, without soliciting feedback from the public.

Spire hasn’t yet released the exact amount it’s asking the MPSC to approve for its gas cost rate, but it’s likely to be in effect in time for the cold winter months. That’s the request that won’t involve public feedback.

The volumetric delivery rate increase, on the other hand, could take until early next year to take effect. That’s the request that the hearings next month are about. If approved, Spire expects this rate hike to begin no later than Feb. 28, 2023.

Do you have more questions about utilities or the cost of living in Kansas City? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.