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Published January 26, 2008 04:35 pm - It’ll be interesting to see what — if any — legislation or regulation comes down as a result of problems Missouri has experienced with its utilities. Andy Ostmeyer: Will money from utilities affect laws, regulations after outages, boil order? By Andy Ostmeyer Globe Metro Editor It’ll be interesting to see what — if any — legislation or regulation comes down as a result of problems Missouri has experienced with its utilities. Two major ice storms last year knocked out power for 10 days to two weeks for some residents in Southwest Missouri, and that was followed by an unrelated boil order that lasted several days this month for Joplin residents. At one time or another, almost everyone in Southwest Missouri was caught up in one, if not all three, of the dramas. Blame it on an act of God, global warming or just plain bad luck. What is a safer bet, though, is that utilities will have the ear of Jefferson City, given the dollars pumped into the political process and the man investor-owned utilities now have at the helm of their interests. The Missouri Energy Development Association, which represents investor-owed utilities, pumped nearly $29,000 into General Assembly elections in 2006, according to the National Institute on Money and State Politics. MEDA members include Missouri American Water Co., Missouri Gas Energy and The Empire District Electric Co., which provide water, gas and electricity to Joplin. Other members are Kansas City Power and Light, Ameren, Aquila, the LaClede Group and Atmos Energy. A quick tour through their contributions found: n Ameren, its political action committee or its executives and employees gave nearly $75,000 in 2006, and well over $150,000 in 2004. Ameren is the heavy hitter among Missouri utilities, with revenue last year of more than $7 billion. n The Association of Missouri Electric Coops, its member cooperatives, PAC and member executives gave nearly $72,000 in 2006 and more than $100,000 two years earlier. n Empire, its PAC or executives and employees gave about $59,000 in 2006 and nearly $63,000 in 2004. n Aquila, its PAC, executives and employees gave more than $45,000 . You get the point. In 2004, the money was much higher, of course, because of the statewide races, particularly for governor. In 2004, Empire alone gave $10,400 to Matt Blunt, Claire McCaskill (who lost to Blunt) and to Bob Holden (who lost to McCaskill). Ameren gave the three candidates nearly $50,000, according to the National Institute’s database. 
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