To the Editor:

Westar Energy has proposed increasing the fixed customer charge on our residential electric bills from $12 to $27 by 2020, as part of Westar’s current rate increase proposal to the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC). Westar has also proposed a complicated set of three electricity rate charges. Our monthly bill is a sum of the fixed charge plus a charge for the electricity we use. Westar has proposed this increase to cover the $1.2 billion upgrade to the La Cygne generation plant and the Wolf Creek nuclear power plant. I agree that these costs should be recovered, but I disagree with the method proposed to recover them. Increasing the monthly fixed customer charge disproportionately affects the poor, elderly, and others who use less electricity. It also discourages energy efficiency because it increases the fixed monthly charge rather than the charge for how much electricity we use. Finally, Westar’s proposal would also strike a blow at residential solar energy installation.

I encourage you to voice your opinion to the KCC by Aug. 11 (email public.affairs@kcc.ks.gov, or write to the KCC, Office of Public Affairs, 1500 SW Arrowhead Road, Topeka, KS 66604-4027). My personal opinion is that Westar’s plant upgrade costs should be recovered by increasing the fixed monthly charge slightly, and by increasing the rate charged for electricity to cover the remaining costs. This would put most of the burden on those who use the most electricity and would encourage energy efficiency and conservation.