Kansas residents are suing gas suppliers for jacking up prices during a 2021 winter storm. The two federal lawsuits argue price hikes unfairly took advantage of customers. The complaints say several companies in the gas supply chain raised prices for utilities to more than 100 times the normal rate, adding up to more than $300 million. Kansas Governor Laura Kelly had declared a state of emergency, and the lawsuit says that limits how much companies can increase prices.
Attorneys say customers are still paying for the price increases through their monthly bills, with the ratepayers paying a substantial penalty, because of the price increases. Customers are paying an additional payment to service the debt caused by these prices, which they believe to be unlawful. They say the goals of the lawsuits are to recover the excess charges and redistribute that money to customers.
