Evergy
Senate committee confirms former Democratic legislator to utility regulatory board
Former Kansas state Rep. Annie Kuether was confirmed as the newest member of the Kansas Corporation Commission Wednesday with a near-unanimous vote. Kuether, who served in the Kansas House of Representatives from 1997 to 2022, will be seated immediately. She replaces outgoing commission Chair Susan Duffy. Gov. Laura Kelly announced she had appointed Kuether, a […]
Kansans rally to pressure Evergy into keeping green energy promises
LAWRENCE — Closing the city’s coal-based power plant will be the first step toward holding the state’s largest utility company accountable for keeping green energy goals, climate change activists said at a Tuesday demonstration. The Sierra Club partnered with local organizations for the rally outside City Hall to show city officials how much local support […]
Long-awaited Evergy energy efficiency programs approved by Kansas regulators
Kansas regulators approved a robust set of energy efficiency programs for Evergy customers after concerns the deal might fall apart. The 2-1 vote by the Kansas Corporation Commission on Friday brings programs, such as rebates and discounts on efficient HVAC systems and free thermostats, to Evergy’s Kansas customers. Missouri regulators have allowed energy efficiency programs […]
Evergy’s proposed rate increases are too high, Kansas regulators announce
TOPEKA — State regulators say a detailed financial audit shows Evergy’s proposed $218 million rate hikes are unjustified. The Kansas Corporation Commission on Tuesday announced its staff had determined Evergy should lower rates in the Kansas City area and slightly increase rates for the rest of the state. The investor-owned utility, which serves about 1.6 […]
Evergy requests first rate increase in five years. Rates outside Kansas City would jump 10%.
Evergy’s request that Kansas customers pay another $218 million each year is a symptom of a system built without efficiency, an environmental advocate says. And until Kansas regulators allow the investor-owned utility to implement its proposed suite of programs designed to bring down customers’ usage, Ashok Gupta, an economist for the Natural Resources Defense Council, […]
Evergy slashes planned renewable energy additions, proposes more natural gas
Kansas’ largest electric utility has drastically scaled back its plans to add more clean energy over the next decade and will keep open its oldest coal plant for years longer. Two years ago, Evergy announced plans to retire the Lawrence Energy Center by the end of this year and add 700 megawatts of solar power […]
Sierra Club calls on EPA to strengthen rules on coal plants, affecting two Kansas facilities
Two Kansas utilities could be required to upgrade coal-fired power plants to limit emissions of lead and other hazardous metals under a policy regulators are considering, according to environmental activists. The Sierra Club on Thursday released a report urging the Environmental Protection Agency to use its existing pollution rules to cut down on harmful exposures […]
Kansas governor signs bills dealing with wind turbine lighting, Evergy charges
TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly announced Thursday she has signed a bill meant to reduce the appearance of blinking red lights on wind turbines. The law requires the installation of wind turbine light systems that are still visible to pilots but don’t ruin the night sky for Kansans living next to wind farms. There are […]
Missouri, Kansas utilities back bills to reestablish monopoly on transmission projects
Missouri’s largest electric utility believes a bill aimed at reducing competition and giving monopoly providers an advantage in building transmission lines will avoid cost overruns and deliver better results for customers. In its home state, where it stands to benefit, Ameren Missouri has offered its full-throated support to legislation aimed at giving the company the […]
Kansas proposal to regulate Evergy’s charges could save customers millions
TOPEKA — With anger rising statewide about bigger electric bills, lawmakers advanced a proposal that would limit Evergy’s ability to recoup construction costs from customers’ wallets. “No one got exactly what they wanted, but I do think this is a good thing for the state,” said Justin Grady, testifying on House Bill 2225 on behalf […]
Kansas coalition eager to end utility company monopoly on self-contained solar projects
Kansas solar industry supports a pair of House bills making it easier for businesses to self-generate electricity and to transfer excess power to the grid.
Evergy blames renewable plans, inflation for $1 billion rise in infrastructure plans
Kansas’ largest electric utility says inflation and plans to add more renewable energy are to blame for the ever-rising estimated cost of its infrastructure investments. Evergy’s plan, which outlines investments in the grid and energy production, is more than $1 billion higher than the one it filed in 2021, which was $1 billion higher than […]