Westar adds surcharge to cover cost of pollution controls

Most area residents will begin paying bigger electric bills this month as Westar Energy seeks to recover costs of pollution controls it plans to install.

The Kansas Corporation Commission has approved a $32.4 million environmental rider to Westar’s rates. The rider took effect Monday.

Westar estimates that the surcharge will cost the typical residential customer in Marion County $2.95 more each month.

The rider permits Westar to recover costs associated with federally mandated environmental improvements at its generating facilities.

Over the next few years, Westar will be investing nearly $570 million in environmental controls to meet anti-pollution regulations, the company said last week.

Westar provides electric service to most communities in Marion County and wholesales electricity to the City of Marion, which resells it to customers in Marion.

How Marion’s rates might be affected was not immediately clear.