Mississippi Power, PSC file for rehearing to restore Kemper rate increase
CEO: ‘We are not going to charge the customer one dime more’
Mississippi Power Co. and the Public Service Commission asked the state Supreme Court on Thursday to reconsider its decision to overturn a rate increase designed to help pay for the Kemper County power plant.
In the filing, Mississippi Power said:
“The PSC appropriately used its authority under the Mississippi Public Utility Act to establish fair and reasonable rates for Kemper, which the Court failed to address.
“The PSC and Legislature hold the authority to set rates, not the Supreme Court, which it has essentially done in its ruling.
“The company and the PSC complied with Mississippi law and the PSC’s rules concerning public notice of the rate proceedings regarding Kemper.
“The court’s decision will require rate increases of 35 percent to 40 percent rather than the approximately 24
percent increase anticipated under the rate proposal considered by the PSC.”
The PSC request said:
“The majority opinion addresses issues not raised or briefed by the parties, and, in so doing, misapprehends and overlooks clearly established Commission rate-making authority.
“The majority opinion misapprehends the ‘due process’ standards for Commission rate and policy-making proceedings and overlooks various statutes and Commission rules in establishing new requirements for future Commission proceedings.
“The majority’s decision to void the Settlement Agreement and eliminate its ratepayer protections overlooks important points of law and fact.”
Sunherald
3/12/15
