Topeka ? Kansas regulators have approved a $59 million rate increase for Kansas City Power & Light customers.

The Kansas Corporation Commission on Wednesday endorsed an agreement reached between KCPL, KCC staff and the Citizens’ Utility Ratepayer Board. KCPL originally wanted a $71.6 million increase.

The new rates go into effect Aug. 1 and will increase the average residential bill by $10.36 for some 233,000 customers, mainly in parts of Johnson, Miami, Franklin and Douglas counties.

The main reason for the rate case was recovering costs associated with environmental upgrades at KCPL’s Iatan 1 coal-fired power plant and common costs of Iatan 1 upgrades and construction of Iatan 2, a coal-fired plant under construction.

Both plants are north of Weston, Mo.