CURB consumer counsel outlines priorities as utilities file major rate cases

Joseph Astrab, consumer counsel for the Citizens Utility Ratepayer Board, told the Senate Utilities Committee that CURB represents residential and small commercial ratepayers before the Kansas Corporation Commission, the legislature and in appellate proceedings.

"We are a fee funded agency," Astrab said. "We do not draw upon the state general fund for our funding; rather there's a statute in place that allows the assessment of fees to a utility for our services that's paid through ratepayers through their bill." He described CURB's staff and board: two attorneys, three regulatory analysts, two administrative professionals and a five‑member appointed volunteer board drawn from around the state.

Why it matters: CURB intervenes in utility rate cases and regulatory dockets to present residential customer perspectives; its work can influence the size and structure of rate increases and company proposals for new programs and tariffs.

Recent work and value

Astrab summarized CURB's involvement in major dockets and said the agency intervened in more than 20 dockets in fiscal 2024. He highlighted the Evergy post‑merger rate case (Evergy Kansas Central and Evergy Metro), saying CURB's intervenor work and consultants produced positions that differed significantly from the utility's initial filings and contributed to settlement outcomes that reduced the revenue requirement compared with the utility request.

He described CURB's allocation of staff time in fiscal 2024: a majority devoted to KCC dockets and rate cases, substantial time on policy research and legislative work, and additional time on constituent assistance and formal complaints. Astrab said CURB also monitors regional transmission organization activity (Southwest Power Pool) and capacity margin and reliability issues that can affect local utility planning.

Active and pending dockets

Astrab listed four major proceedings then before the commission: an Evergy Kansas Central rate filing (a requested revenue increase in the presentation), a Black Hills rate filing submitted Feb. 3 seeking about $17.2 million, a predetermination docket under Kansas statute for cost‑treatment review of proposed investments (including gas plants and a solar farm), and new tariff work related to large data‑center and large‑load customers filed Feb. 11.

Policy priorities and outlook

Astrab said CURB's goals include promoting affordability and reliability, studying and addressing energy burden on vulnerable customers, improving public outreach and assisting legislators and the public with questions about utility regulation. In response to senators, Astrab said CURB does not have a written preference for generation types; the agency is "agnostic" on resource type and focuses on reliable, least‑cost service. On the question whether Kansas utilities are better prepared for extreme weather events similar to Winter Storm Uri, Astrab said utilities have taken steps to improve operations and hedging and that he believes the state is better prepared now than during the storm's immediate aftermath.

Ending

Astrab offered to provide the committee copies of CURB white papers and to meet with members individually. He said the office posts white papers and testimony on its website and that staff are available to answer questions about specific dockets and policy research.