Current Issues
Evergy 2023 Rate Increase Request
On April 25, Evergy asked the KCC for rate increases for both its Evergy KS Central (former Westar) and Evergy KS Metro (former KCP&L) service areas.
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The Central rate increase request is for an additional $204M/year, or on average 9.77 percent increase. The increase for residential customers is more than 9.77%.
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The Metro increase request is for an additional $14.2M/year, or on average 1.95% increase.
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Evergy is asking for enhanced returns for its shareholders and to accelerate depreciation for its coal plants, presumably, so it can close them sooner without financial risk.
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The case is Docket 23-EKCE-775-RTS. The KCC is expected to rule on the increases in late December.
Critical Issues with Rate Request
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Evergy's rates in Kansas are already materially higher than peer electric companies in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, and Iowa.
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These increased costs will make it much more difficult to achieve regionally competitive rates and will directly add unnecessary operational costs to businesses and organizations and thousands of Kansans struggling with their bills.
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Prematurely closing coal and gas plants may jeopardize the reliability Kansas customers expect.
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An enhanced Return on Equity for shareholders isn't justified when Evergy faces almost zero risk.
2023 Legislative Updates
Kansas has the highest electric rates in the region and there's no end in sight. Evergy is poised to file a massive rate increase request in April.
The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) is entrusted to regulate Evergy and the rates it charges. But the KCC isn't working to benefit ratepayers. This is the year to reform the KCC to make it more accountable to the electric customers of Kansas. SB 88 & HB 2154 provide needed reform to help customers.
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