Hey folks, seeing something odd on Empire Electric bills here in Missouri. There's a line item called "Regulatory Recovery Fee" at $2.50 per month that doesn't appear in any published tariff I can find. Customer service claims it's for "administrative costs related to regulatory compliance" but that's pretty vague. Anyone familiar with Empire or seen similar phantom fees? This smells like an unauthorized charge to me.
Strange "regulatory recovery fee" on Empire Electric bills
Never dealt with Empire specifically, but Alabama Power tried something similar a few years back. They called it a "Public Service Commission Fee" and charged $1.75 monthly. Turns out it was never approved by the PSC and they had to refund millions. I'd file a complaint with the Missouri PSC immediately. These utilities can't just invent fees without regulatory approval.
Elmer, check Empire's Case No. ER-2012-0345 at the Missouri PSC. I think that fee might be related to a rate case settlement from 2013. Sometimes these recovery mechanisms get buried in settlement agreements and don't show up clearly in the published tariffs. Worth investigating the docket to see if there's legitimate authorization. If not, you've got a solid case for refunds.
Good advice Vivian. I've seen Pennsylvania utilities hide fees in settlement language too. PPL tried to slip a "Smart Meter Recovery Charge" into bills without proper tariff filing. The key is proving lack of regulatory authorization. Even if it's in a settlement, the fee structure usually needs explicit tariff language. Keep us posted on what you find Elmer!