Westar says it won’t charge residents for using credit cards

The largest electric company in Kansas says it is no longer charging a $2.95 fee to residential customers who use credit or debit cards to pay their monthly bills.

Topeka-based Westar Energy Inc. announced Thursday that it had abolished the charge.

Westar Vice President Jeff Beasley said the utility has a team focusing on finding ways to make it easier for consumers to do business with the company.

The company noted that earlier this year it made its website friendly to mobile devices and introduced text and e-mail updates to customers who wanted to know about power outages.

Westar supplies electricity to nearly 700,000 customers.

This story was originally published December 19, 2014 at 9:10 AM with the headline "Westar says it won’t charge residents for using credit cards."