Hutchinson residents and businesses could see an increase in their electric bills if Wester Energy have their way.

Westar announced Monday that they have filed for another a rate increase with the Kansas Corporation Commission. They want to increase rates by $31.7 million or about 1.7 percent.

Westar blames the need to increase rates with what they say is 42-million dollars more in costs as a result of EPA requirements to upgrade one of their power plants, but say they will offset about 10-million of that with cost reductions elsewhere.

Westar’s request also includes re-examining how rates are set for different types of customers, a more flexible economic development program and a fund to assist low income customers.

For about a quarter of residential customers, about 150,000 homes that use less than 500 kilowatt hours-per-month, the proposed increase will be 4-dollars per month, or about 13-cents per-day.

For households with higher consumption of about 900 kilowatt hours per month, the proposed increase will be about $7.50 per month, or about 25-cents-per-day.