For the first time in years, people buying electricity from Kirkwood will pay more than Ameren Missouri customers.

Kirkwood owns its own electric utility, covering about two-thirds of the city. The utility is increasing its rates for the first time in almost a decade, said Mayor Liz Gibbons.

Gibbons said the 14.8% increase is needed because the electric department overspent its budget as it completed a 12-year infrastructure upgrade . After a financial review, the city realized it needed to both rebuild cash reserves and account for the rising cost of energy.

“Our last rate increase was in 2016, so we've not been keeping up with the rate increases like we should, and coupled with the overspending of upgrading the infrastructure, we now need to increase our rates,” Gibbons said.

The

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