Topeka ? Electricity rates will rise for some customers of Western Resources Inc. but decline for others on June 4.

The new rates and their effective date were established by state regulators in an order issued Wednesday.

	www.kcc.state.ks.uswww.wr.com

Westar Energy, the company’s utility unit, estimated that monthly bills will decline an average $3 for residential customers of its KGE subsidiary in southeast and south-central Kansas.

Customers of the KPL subsidiary in northeast and central Kansas including Lawrence will pay an average $1.45 to $3.88 more a month, depending on where they live.

Last year, the Kansas Corporation Commission responded to Western’s request for a $151 million rate increase by ordering it to reduce rates by $15.6 million. The Kansas Court of Appeals upheld the KCC’s rate reduction order in March.

The increase in KPL rates is attributed to Western Resources’ investment in new power generating units.

Wednesday’s order was agreed to by the KCC, Western Resources, the Citizens’ Utility Ratepayer Board, the city of Topeka, some of Western Resources’ large customers and the Topeka public school district.

Westar Energy provides electricity to 345,000 KPL customers and 290,000 KGE customers.