Pepco asked the D.C. Public Service Commission to give it permission to increase rates.

The change, if accepted, would increase rates for a typical residential consumer in the District by $5.89, or 6.23 percent, according to a statement by Pepco. That "typical" customer goes through 750 kilowatt hours per month. The change would bring the average residential bill up to about $100 a month.

Altogether, Pepco wants to see a $52.1 million increase in base distribution rates.

Pepco says it has earned the price increase by making "significant investments" to improve infrastructure.

Pepco, a target of persistent criticism over its reliability of service, was named the nation's "most hated company" in 2011 by Business Insider.

"Since we started our reliability work more than two years ago to upgrade and modernize our system, reliability has improved for our customers," Thomas H. Graham, Pepco region president, said in a news release.

enewcomer@washingtonexaminer.com