393.260. Complaints as to quality and price of gas, water, electricity and sewer service--investigation by commission--form of complaints.
Complaints as to quality and price of gas, water, electricity andsewer service--investigation by commission--form of complaints.
393.260. 1. Upon the complaint in writing of the mayor orthe president or chairman of the board of aldermen, or a majorityof the council, commission or other legislative body of any city,town, village or county within which the alleged violationoccurred, or by not less than twenty-five consumers orpurchasers, or prospective consumers or purchasers of such gas,electricity, water or sewer *, as to the illuminating power,purity, pressure or price of gas, the efficiency of the electricincandescent lamp supply, the voltage of the current supplied forlight, heat or power, or price of electricity sold and deliveredin such municipality, or the purity, pressure or price of wateror the adequacy, sanitation or price of sewer service, thecommission shall investigate as to the cause of such complaint.
2. When such complaint is made, the commission may, by itsagents, examiners and inspectors, inspect the works, system,plant, devices, appliances and methods used by such person orcorporation in manufacturing, transmitting and supplying suchgas, electricity or water or furnishing said sewer service, andmay examine or cause to be examined the books and papers of suchperson or corporation pertaining to the manufacture, sale,transmitting and supplying of such gas, electricity or water orfurnishing of such sewer service.
3. The form and contents of complaints made as provided inthis section shall be prescribed by the commission. Suchcomplaints shall be signed by the officers, or by the customers,purchasers or subscribers making them, who must add to theirsignatures their places of residence, by street and number, ifany.
(RSMo 1939 § 5658, A.L. 1967 p. 578)Prior revisions: 1929 § 5202; 1919 § 10490
*Apparently the word "service" was inadvertently omitted from original rolls.
(1964) A telephone utility could not annex additional territory to its certificated service area by the simple act of filing a map of the area and order of public service commission requiring another telephone company whose existing lines were closer to the unserved area to extend service into the area was based on competent and substantial evidence and was not in excess of its statutory power. State ex rel. Doniphan Telephone Co. v. Public Service Commission (A.), 377 S.W.2d 469.
(1976) File and suspend method of seeking rate increase by utility did not result in denial of due process of law or equal protection to utility consumers. State ex rel. Jackson County v. Public Service Commission (Mo.), 532 S.W.2d 20.
(1976) Sections 386.390 and 393.260 specifically enumerate the parties qualified to file a complaint as to the reasonableness of a utility's rates and charges, and utilities are not among them, and section 386.400 gives utilities the right to file complaints only on matters other than as to reasonableness of their rates. State ex rel. Jackson County v. Public Service Commission (Mo.), 532 S.W.2d 20.