Mo. judge sides with challengers of energy law

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - A Missouri judge has sided with energy users and utilities that challenged a voter-approved law requiring some power companies to increase their use of renewable fuels.

The 2008 law requires investor-owned utilities to use increasing amounts of renewable resources to produce electricity. Regulators with the Missouri Public Service Commission wrote rules for implementing the law.

Utilities, industrial energy users and others filed legal challenges that focused on rules addressing the electric rate increases that would be allowed and whether the renewable energy needed to be bought or used in Missouri. The constitutionality of the voter-backed law itself also was challenged.

Last week's decision by a Cole County judge favoring the challenge sends the rule-making issue back to the Public Service Commission.