HAYS – Midwest Energy is seeking board of directors approval for proposed electric rate changes, effective Jan. 1, 2019.  

A Public meeting to discuss the changes is being held in Great Bend at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 3, at the Barton County Community College Fine Arts Building, room 30. Another meeting takes place in Macksville at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 5, at the American State Bank and Trust Building. 

All Midwest Energy customers are welcome to attend. Previous meetings on the rate changes were held in Hays and Colby.

The rate changes, if approved, would be revenue-neutral for the company. This is Midwest Energy’s first general electric rate change since 2011.  

It is needed to address significant differences between similar customers on the M and W Systems. The M system is the original Midwest Energy system from 1981-2003 (covering parts of northwest and central Kansas) and the W system includes assets purchased from Westar Energy in 2003, in parts of Barton, Rice, Reno, Stafford, Pratt, Edwards and Pawnee counties.

Currently, the two systems have different rate structures.

In addition, the utility hopes to simplify rate structures. If approved, the proposed rate changes will take place over a three-year period.   

Details on the proposed rate changes are available on the Midwest Energy website at mwenergy.com/residential/electric-rate-changes.

Midwest Energy is a customer-owned cooperative, serving 50,000 electric and 42,000 natural gas customers in central and western Kansas.