SE Kansas City News

Due to severe weather conditions, the City of Independence has announced that it will estimate utility bills for some customers this January. The city typically reads all meters manually each month, but heavy snowfall—currently at 10 inches—has hindered access to these meters.

The city employs a cycle billing system with 20 cycles throughout the month, meaning not all customer bills will be estimated. Customers can verify if their bill is estimated by checking the second page of their statement, where it will be marked "Estimated."

For those receiving an estimated bill, no adjustments will be made until the following month when actual readings are obtained. If an estimated bill causes financial difficulty, customers can contact the city to arrange a payment extension.

The first set of estimated bills was issued on Wednesday, January 8, 2025. According to ordinance 18374, approved on October 20, 2014, the city is permitted to issue estimated bills under extreme weather conditions or other circumstances that prevent actual meter readings.

Currently, Independence does not utilize Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), commonly known as smart meters. The potential implementation of AMI will be discussed in a study session scheduled for January 13, 2025.