JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Public Service Commission met Wednesday to address five orders and discuss three cases.
Just under an hour of case discussion centered primarily around Grain Belt Express Clean Line. The post-hearing memo discussion ultimately had the commission agreeing that, since the recent Missouri Supreme Court ruling, the Clean Line meets the Tartan factors for PSC jurisdiction.
The Tartan factors include whether there is a need for the service, whether the provider is qualified to provide the service, whether the service is economically feasible, and whether the service is in the public interest.
“There is a public interest in promoting renewables,” Commissioner Daniel Hall said.
“The company has done a good job in promoting the evidence that there is significant interest and demand,” Rupp said.
All five orders briefly discussed were approved unanimously.
The first order regarded a Missouri American Water lead service line replacement program to open a working file for stakeholder and public comment. The case is not contested. Version 1 of the order was approved.
The second order was regarding Ameren Missouri’s application to issue and sell up to $450,000,000 aggregate principal amount of additional long-term indebtedness. Version 2 of the order was approved.
The third order requested a variance for affiliate transaction information with Ameren Missouri. There was no staff or Office of Public Counsel opposition. Version 1 was approved.
The fourth order established ending ACA balances with the Empire District Gas Company in a gas adjustment tariff filing. Staff had submitted a recommended adjustment to the order, to which Empire agreed. With no standing issues, version 1 was approved.
The fifth order, regarding Spire Missouri’s certificate of convenience and necessity in Barton County, was approved. The order allows Spire to extend their line for a single customer’s irrigation operation. Spire will update their tariff sheets to reflect the change. The order will be expedited. Version 2 was approved.
An overview presentation of Ameren Missouri’s Smart Energy Plan has been rescheduled for the March 6 agenda meeting. The next hearing will be on February 27 at 9:30 a.m. and will include an update on the Joplin reservoir project.
Rachael Herndon was the editor at The Missouri Times and also produced This Week in Missouri Politics, published Missouri Times Magazine, and co-hosted the #MoLeg podcast. She joined The Missouri Times in 2014, returning to political reporting after working as a campaign and legislative staffer.
Rachael studied at the University of Missouri – Columbia. She lives in Jefferson City with her husband, Brandon, and their two children.
