Midwest Energy
At its first meeting in April, the Larned City Council unanimously approved a 10-year contract for Midwest Energy to provide the day-to-day operations and maintenance of the city’s electric transmission and distribution system. The contact has a clause for a potential five-year extension, should both parties desire it.
“Midwest has been performing operations and maintenance for the City since July 2021, and they’ve been very responsive to the City’s needs ever since,” Larned Mayor William Nusser said. “This contract represents the best path forward in ensuring safe and reliable electric service for the city over the next decade.”
Under the contract, the city of Larned will own the electric system and power plant, and will be responsible for meter reading, bill printing, customer service and bill collection services. Customers needing service will continue to contact the city’s after-hours help line at 620-285-8500. The city will contact Midwest Energy whenever customers require service, to repair street lights, and to perform new service connections and disconnections. Midwest Energy crews from the Great Bend District will also provide storm restoration and construction services on an as-needed basis.
“In addition to operating the electrical system, Midwest will support the city with projects such as hanging Christmas lights, installing banners on light poles and setting up temporary electric services for events like fairs and festivals,” said Fred Taylor, Midwest Energy’s vice president for operations. “Midwest provides these services in many of the cities we serve, and we built these services into the contract because we know they’re important to the community,” Taylor said.
Taylor noted that Midwest Energy has deep roots in Larned, providing wholesale power to the city since 2003 and serving the areas around the city for more than 80 years, adding that Midwest paid nearly a half-million dollars in property taxes in Pawnee County in 2021.
“We’ve been in the area here a long time, and this contract makes that commitment all the stronger,” Taylor said. “We look forward to serving Larned well into the future.”