CITIZENS ELECTRIC CORP. WANTS TO DECREASE RATES

Citizens Electric Corp. is asking the Missouri Public Service Commission for permission to lower residential rates by 3.5 half percent.

The company serves 22,000 residential customers in Ste. Genevieve and Perry counties and portions of St. Francois and Cape Girardeau counties.

CEC wants to decrease rates for its more than 1,600 non-industrial commercial users by 9 percent.

"We are a not-for-profit company whose purpose is to provide the best electric service at the lowest possible rate," said CEC general manager Todd Decker.

Decker said improved operating efficiency and lower power costs have led to the proposed rate decrease. The last time the company altered rates was in 1988 when it lowered rates.

Typical residential customers using 950 kilowatts a month would see their bills fall from $74.57 to $70.80 before taxes. Typical commercial users using 1,235 kilowatts would see their monthly bill drop from $111.93 to $101.10 before taxes.

CEC will also eliminate its monthly $2.52 water heater credit.

"We have lost track of who has and who does not have electric water heaters," Decker said.