Dive Summary:

• Southern Co.'s Mississippi Power Co. has been allowed to increase rates for costs tied to a $3 billion coal-gasification power plant after a ruling by the state's Public Service Commission.
• The ruling gives the utility another chance to request a rate hike of as much as $172 million this year; the commission has been asked to act on the request within 50 days.
• Mississippi Power's rate increase will fund the construction of a 582-MW, integrated gasification combined-cycle plant that is scheduled to begin operation in May of 2014.

From the article:

Last June, the commission denied the utility's request for $55 million over six months, saying customer rates should not be raised until a legal challenge from an environmental group, the Sierra Club, was resolved. The Mississippi Supreme Court also denied the utility's motion to charge interim rates while the Kemper certificate was under appeal.

Louie Miller, the Sierra Club's state director, said the settlement offers no benefits to Mississippi Power customers and was approved only to help the utility which he said is struggling financially. ...