TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas regulators have approved a 9 percent increase in Kansas City Power & Light’s annual electric rates, raising them less than the utility sought.

But the three-member Kansas Corporation Commission split over how much profit KCP&L’s stockholders should be allowed to earn. The final rate is 9.3 percent.

The commission said KCP&L’s charges for its 247,000 customers in northeast Kansas will increase nearly $49 million a year. The company said the average residential customer would see a monthly increase of $7.73 starting in October.

Missouri regulators approved an 11.7 percent rate increase for KCP&L customers there.

In Kansas, KCP&L proposed boosting annual revenues by $67 million, or 12.5 percent and $11.67 a month for an average residential customer.

KCP&L argued it needed additional revenues to pay for power plant upgrades.