(KANSAS CITY, Ks.) —The Kansas City Board of Public Utilities (BPU) Board of Directors approved its 2012 Annual Budget for the municipal electric and water utility at its December 21, 2011 Board meeting. The budget was adopted following a series of public budget hearings held during the month of December.

As outlined in the budget, priorities for 2012 include: 1) continue to address the aging capital infrastructure; 2) enhancing the customer self- service web portal; 3) increase the vegetation management program and continue to refine the outage management system; 4) proceed with the upgrade and construction of the new fiberglass substation to improve electric service to Fairfax commercial and industrial customers; 5) continue with implementation of AMR/AMI advanced metering infrastructure; 6) complete construction of the Wolcott substation and Piper/Wolcott transmission line; 7) continue with water meter replacement program and begin construction of the four million gallon storage reservoir at Nearman Water Treatment Plant; 8) and making environmental upgrades to existing power generating facilities.

The 2012 budget, totaling $399.6 million, is the result of several much-needed capital projects to the utility’s aging infrastructure and a number of new initiatives to advance the utilities’ continued focus on customer service and providing reliable and affordable utility services. BPU leadership used the recent cost-of-service study as a guide in building the 2012 budget and the new budget is within the cost of service plan.