Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt says he is asking to intervene in upcoming rate hearings as the investigation continues into abnormal price spikes due to brutal cold conditions in February.
Schmidt says he has asked to get involved in the Kansas Corporation Commission’s dockets involving Black Hills Energy, Kansas Gas Service and Atmos Energy, which all do business in at least part of the KVOE listening area. Schmidt’s request has the backing of state law, which says the attorney general can enforce limits on profiteering during a declared disaster as well as on the filing of false claims for payment from government agencies.
Schmidt’s office started an investigation into sharp price increases in February after temperatures across Kansas went under -15 for around a week solid. The investigation continues into whether any of those price hikes violated state law.
Recently, the KCC approved the city of Eskridge’s plan for repayment, which includes a 10-year low-interest loan from the state and a new utility charge for residents to help offset the loan amount. Eskridge paid over $1 million for natural gas in February after paying less than $200,000 for gas in all of 2020.
