The Empire District Electric Company

The Empire District Electric Company, doing business as Liberty Utilities, is a for-profit, foreign-owned corporate entity registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) since 2007, with registration valid through March 2026. The company primarily provides electric utility services to federal government facilities, specifically demonstrated through its contract work with the Department of Veterans Affairs. As a utility provider operating in Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, the company serves multiple regional markets with electric infrastructure and grid services. Its core business involves delivering electric power to government and commercial customers, with a particular focus on maintaining critical infrastructure and supporting public service facilities.

Regarding federal contract awards, The Empire District Electric Company has secured sole-source contracts with the VA Strategic Acquisition Center Frederick for electric utility services. Specifically, the company was awarded a firm-fixed-price contract valued at $562,907.09 for providing electric services to the VA Records Center and Vault in Neosho, Missouri, covering the period from February 1, 2022, through January 31, 2023. These contracts were not set-aside and were awarded based on the company being the sole authorized electric utility provider in the Neosho/Newton County service area. The contract type was a definitive contract, demonstrating the company's capability to provide reliable and consistent electric utility services to federal government facilities.

In terms of federal grant awards, The Empire District Electric Company recently received a significant $99,815,684 Project Grant from the Department of Energy under the Grid Infrastructure Deployment and Resilience program. This grant focuses on improving electric grid reliability and efficiency across Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma through distribution automation (DA) technology deployment. The project aims to enhance circuit reliability by 33%, increase system switching flexibility, and provide additional capacity for distribution-connected renewables. The grant covers infrastructure upgrades including conductors, poles, station transformers, and related equipment, with a performance period spanning from September 2024 through September 2029. This award highlights the company's strategic role in modernizing and improving regional electric grid infrastructure through innovative technology deployment.