RELEASE
Public Service Commission to Mississippi Power Company: Kemper Facility should operate using only natural gas
Requests solution that eliminates ratepayer risk for unproven technology and assures no rate increase to Mississippi Power customers
JACKSON, Mississippi— At its open meeting Wednesday the Mississippi Public Service Commission unanimously passed a motion instructing counsel to prepare an order pursuing potential solutions regarding the Kemper County Power Generation Facility. The order will be presented to the Commission at its July 6, 2017 meeting.
As part of the order, a new docket number will be opened encouraging a settlement to resolve some or all matters in question. The Commission believes the following areas should be resolved by Mississippi Power Company, the Mississippi Public Utilities Staff and intervening parties, and that any settlement presented to the Commission should include the following:
• Remove risk from ratepayers for the lignite coal gasifier and related assets
• No rate increase to Mississippi Power Company customers. The Commission strongly encourages serious discussions leading to potential rate reduction, particularly for residential customers
• The settlement should include modification or amendment of the certificate issued in docket no. 2009-UA-014 to allow only for operation of a natural gas facility at the Kemper Project location.
Any settlement shall be filed with the Commission no later than forty-five days from the effective date of the order. If a settlement is filed, a hearing will be set forty-five days from the date of the filing and a scheduling order entered. Mississippi Power Company will be required to notice all customers individually of the settlement docket.
6/21/17
Magnolia Tribune
