The Missouri Public Service Commission is concerned with Proposition C on the November ballot.

Intro: Missouri receives only a small percentage of it's electric energy from renewable energy sources. If Proposition C on the November ballot passes, that percentage would increase significantly. But not everyone is convinced that would be a good thing.

Brenda Martens has more from the State Capitol.

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OutCue: SOC If passed, Proposition C will require 15 percent of Missouri electricity to come from renewable energy sources such as wind, water, or the sun by the year 2021.

The measure applies only to Missouri's investor-owned utility companies.

There are three investor-owned utility companies in Missouri.

They are AmerenUE, Empire District Electric, and Kansas City Power and Light.

While there is no known organized opposition to the initiative, Missouri Public Services Chairman Jeff Davis says he is deeply concerned about the honesty of the Proposition C campaign.

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Description: I'm just concerned that Missouri consumers are being sold a bill of goods, that, you know, these people are somehow out there representing that we're going to get you all of this renewable energy. Which I agree that we need more renewable energy in this state, but to say , to tell people that we can do it at little or no cost, to me is not honest based on the information that I have seen here at the commission in the past.

Davis says the renewable energy generators could potentially cost 6 billion dollars to create.

He says the one percent cap to consumer costs in the initiative would not be able to cover that expense.

Missouri Coalition for the Environment Coordinator, Erin Noble, says she disagrees with the cost prognosis.

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Description: We've seen that with the 26 other states that have implemented this policy that they're easily making these changes within that 1% cap. So we're basing this off of what's worked well in other states, and we fully expect this policy to actually save consumers money over time.

Noble says using renewable energy would create jobs for Missourians and be better for the environment.

AmerenUE Spokesperson Mike Cleary says meeting consumer needs is not always easy with renewable energy sources.

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Description: While renewable is clean and certainly desirable to use as much renewable as you can, the wind doesn't always blow and the sun doesn't always shine. So you have to have back-up technologies to meet the needs all the time.

Cleary also voices concern about land availability for solar panels and wind turbines.

While AmerenUE opposes this particular initiative, Emily Stanley from Empire District Electric says they are taking a neutral stance.

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Description: We believe that it's important to look to new technologies. It's important to make sure that we provide our customers with a balanced mix of energy resources, and we feel that that balance comes form not only water and wind, but utilizing coal and natural gas as well, so that we can deliver energy to our customers at the best available price as safely as possible.

Stanley says Empire District Electric is already using renewable energy.

Along with Empire District Electric and AmerenUE, Kansas City Power and Light is the third company that could be affected by Proposition C.

They were unavailable for comment, but previously said they are in support of Proposition C and are currently producing a portion of their electricity with solar and wind energy.

Co-ops and other small utility companies will not be affected by Proposition C.

Reporting from Jefferson City, I'm Brenda Martens.

Intro: The Missouri Public Service Commission Chairman is taking a stance against the proposition on the November ballot that would require investor-owned utility companies to increase use of renewable energy sources.

Brenda Martens has more from the State Capitol.

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If passed, the Missouri Clean Energy Initiative will require 15 percent of electricity produced by investor-owned companies to come from renewable energy sources by 2021.

Missouri Public Service Commission Chairman Jeff Davis questions the transparency of the Proposition C campaign.

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Description: Well, I'm deeply concerned that the supporters of Prop C are not being honest with the voters of Missouri.

The Public Service Commission Chairman says his concerns stem from reports he's seen that say renewable generation could cost 6 billion dollars in the next 13 years.

Davis says the initiative's one percent cap increase to consumer bills will not even come close to covering that cost.

Supporters of the proposition say studies show renewable energy use can be increased well within the one percent cap.

Reporting from Jefferson City, I'm Brenda Martens.

Intro: The Chairman from the Missouri Public Service Commission is questioning the Missouri Clean Energy Initiative on the November Ballot.

Brenda Martens has more from Jefferson City.

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The Missouri Clean Energy Initiative will require investor-owned utility companies to increase their use of renewable energy in electricity production to 15 percent.

It also includes a one percent cost cap to consumers.

Missouri Public Service Commission Chairman Jeff Davis says he is questioning the affect that cap will have on utility companies.

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Description: It's not a question of do they need the money, it's a question of is it lawful, do we have the authority to require them to spend money and not be able to recover it in rates.

Supporters of the initiative say an increase in renewable energy can easily be achieved within that one percent cap.

If the proposition passes in November, the Missouri Public Service Commission will have the responsibility of monitoring and enforcing the initiative.

Reporting from the State Capitol, I'm Brenda Martens.