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Minutes for HB2156 - Committee on Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications
Short Title
Authorizing public utilities subject to the jurisdiction of the state corporation commission to establish rates that benefit low-income residential customers.
Minutes Content for Thu, Feb 9, 2023
Chairperson Delperdang opened the hearing on HB2156.
Nick Myers provided an overview of the bill.(Attachment1). Mr. Myers responded to questions from committee members.
Chair recognized proponents for in person testimony as follows:
David Nickel, CURB (Attachment2) testified in support of the bill. Mr. Nickel believes the bill would allow Kansas utilities to find reasonable ways to help low-income ratepayers better cope with their high energy burden and form some type of relief to low-income families.
Patrick Vogelsberg, Kansas Gas Service (Attachment3) testified in support of the bill. He said Kansas Gas Service is committed to help low-income families. He said they have a number of payment plans and resources available for customers facing financial difficulties and work year-round to assist customers in accessing these options. However, Kansas Gas recognizes that despite these efforts, some customers continue to struggle to afford the energy necessary for their households.
Darrin Ives, Evergy (Attachment4) testified in support of the bill. Mr. Ives believes this bill allows the Kansas Corporation Commission authority consider working with lower income households to pay their bills. He said Evergy would continue its efforts already in place to assist income-qualified customer in Kansas providing information about low energy programs.
Maxine Goucher, AARP Kansas Volunteer (Attachment5) testified in support of the bill. She said AARP has more than 278,000 members in Kansas. Many members have low or fixed incomes, others live on their Social Security alone. The dramatic escalation in utility rates we are seeing in Kansas poses a concern for households with residents over age 50. Consumers over 50 tend to devote a higher percentage of their total spending towards energy cost and often have special safety concerns with regard to their continued access to utility service.
The conferees responded to questions from committee members.
Proponents-Written Only testimony as follows:
Dorthy Barnett, Climate Energy Project (Attachment6);
Steven Cowen, Black Hills Energy (Attachment7);
Whitney Damron, Liberty Utilities (Attachment8);
Ashok Gupta, Natural Resources Defense Council (Attachment9);
Zack Pistora, Kansas Sierra Club (Attachment10);
Aaron Bishop, Atmos Energy (Attachment11);
Paul Snider, Kansans for Lower Electric Rates (Attachment12);
Chair recognized neutral in person testimony as follows:
Jeff McClanahan, Kansas Corporation Commission (Attachment13) testified as neutral on the bill. Mr. McClanahan believes this bill would allow a public utility to propose rates, terms or charges for the benefit of low-income residential customers and allow low-income rates to be set below the actual cost of service for such customers once the Commission determines that the rates are not unjust or unreasonably discriminatory or unduly preferential.
The conferee responded to questions from committee members.
Chairperson Delperdang closed the hearing on HB2156.
