The nearly 4,800 Oklahoma customers of the Empire District Electric Company headquartered in Missouri face a possible rate hike.
Months after the company asked for a 40% rate hike in Kansas, it recently filed a Notice of Intent with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission indicating it plans to file an application seeking an adjustment of its rates and charges in mid-August.
Empire’s filing (CASE PUD PUD2026-000048 ) stated it anticipated to make the filing “on or about August 14, 2026.” It also proposes the new rates would take effect on the issuance of a final order from the Corporation Commission. Empire also expects approval or implementation of the final order no later than 180 days after the filing of its rate request.
Liberty-Empire said it expects the following major issues, and pro forma adjustments will be raised in its Application Package and supporting documentation:
a. Capital Investment;
b. Cost of Service;
c. Capital Structure;
d. Return on Equity;
Empire District Electric Company operates as Liberty Utilities and provides electric and gas services to about 4,800 residential and commercial customers in northeastern Oklahoma including towns such as Miami, Grove and Afton.
The company filed a rate hike request last month with the Kansas Corporation Commission asking for a $15.8 million increase, which would increase the average residential bill by 40%. Empire serves 218,000 customers in southeast Kansas, southwest Missouri and northeast Oklahoma.
Empire’s rate case included investments in three wind projects, one in southeastern and two in Missouri. It claimed the renewable energy projects would reduce annual fuel costs by $3.3 million. The company said it needed to recover costs for investments to update aging infrastructure, modernize customer service technology and strengthen the system against extreme weather challenges.
If approved in full, the increase will be phased in over a three-year period. Kansas customers with average usage (1000 kWh per month) would see their monthly bill increase $11.88 in the first year, $21.28 in the second year, and $21.28 in the third year. Currently, the monthly bill for customers with average usage is about $135.38 per month. The proposed total bill after three years would be approximately $189.83, a 40% increase in the total bill.
