Kansas regulators plan to review charges imposed on utilities by a state agency that represents residential customers and small businesses to finance its work.

The Kansas Corporation Commission opened an informal inquiry Tuesday after chairman Mark Sievers raised questions about the Citizens’ Utility Ratepayers Board.

The KCC still approved $109,000 worth of charges from CURB to the utilities, however.

CURB Consumer Counsel David Springe said he worries that the inquiry could affect its efforts to keep rates in check.

CURB finances its $816,000 annual budget through the charges to utilities. The agency relies on the KCC for some administrative services, but is otherwise independent of the commission and is overseen by a board appointed by the governor.

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Associated Press information from: The Topeka Capital-Journal