KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - A Missouri appeals court has upheld polices developed by state utility regulators to implement a voter-approved law that requires greater use of renewable fuels.

The Missouri Public Service Commission wrote administrative rules for the law passed in 2008. The statute forces investor-owned utilities to use increasing amounts of renewable resources to produce electricity.

The administrative rules were challenged by an industry group for investor-owned utilities, power companies and an organization for industrial energy consumers.

On Tuesday, a three-judge panel of the Missouri Court of Appeals’ Western District rejected the legal challenge and upheld the administrative rules.

Part of the controversy surrounding the renewable energy rules has focused on the electric rate increases that would be allowed and whether the renewable energy needed to be bought or used in Missouri.

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