Rep. Don Mayhew (R‑Crocker) is back at it in Jefferson City, reintroducing legislation that would force Missouri’s investor‑owned electric companies to separate the business of making power from the business of delivering it. The goal is to let other firms sell electricity to homes and businesses, a yearslong push from Mayhew that is landing amid public frustration over rising bills and recent changes to state utility law.
What Mayhew's Bill Would Do
Under the proposal, utilities would have to choose a lane: either produce electricity or deliver it, not both. They would also have to sell off generating plants so independent producers and retail suppliers could compete to serve customers, according to KBIA. Supporters argue that opening the generation market would add competitive pressure that could hold down future price hikes, while critics warn the shift could make long‑term planning for reliability and service more complicated.
The measure appears in the legislature as HB 2207. The official state bill page shows it was prefiled late last year but has not yet been scheduled for a hearing. The bill text describes itself as creating “provisions for electrical choice and competition,” and the House listing offers basic status information and bill documents for anyone wanting to dig into the details.
Utilities Push Back
Missouri’s largest investor‑owned utilities, Ameren and Evergy, are not exactly cheering this on. Company officials argue that splitting the market would shift control over generation and pricing away from state regulators and toward outside entities. Ameren’s Rob Dixon warned the change could raise bills, and Evergy spokesperson Gina Penzig said deregulation “would result in higher prices and a less stable grid,” according to KBIA.
Numbers And Context
Advocates for retail choice point to federal data analyzed by the Retail Energy Advancement League, which found that many vertically integrated states saw some of the fastest electricity price increases since 2008, with Missouri among the higher‑growth states. The league and its business allies argue that allowing competition at the generation level has slowed price growth in other markets and would give large users and some consumers more contracting options, according to the Retail Energy Advancement League.
A Recent Law That Changed The Rules
Opponents also point back to last year’s wide‑ranging utility overhaul, signed by Gov. Mike Kehoe, which changed ratemaking and accounting rules, including authorization for construction work‑in‑progress accounting that lets companies begin recovering costs while plants are still being built. Coverage of that 2025 law detailed critics’ concerns that the new financing tools could accelerate pressure on rates and reshape how major projects get approved, according to St. Louis Public Radio.
Legal And Consumer Questions
If lawmakers decide to move ahead, regulators would have to rewrite the rulebook on who can enter the market, what “utility of last resort” obligations look like and how consumer protections work. That is a complex job that could stretch on for years. After Illinois restructured its market, regulators later tightened marketing and enrollment rules and pursued enforcement cases against alternative suppliers following consumer complaints, according to reporting by the Citizens Utility Board.
For now, HB 2207 has not received a committee hearing, according to the state House bill page. Its future rides on whether lawmakers buy into the promise of competition or side with warnings about near‑term price and reliability risks. Either way, the bill has reopened a high‑stakes fight over who should ultimately call the shots on Missouri’s power prices: the utilities, the regulators or the marketplace.
