Kansas rate case unanimously settled, bringing rate changes to Evergy Kansas Central and Kansas Metro

An agreement between all parties brought a seeming end to Evergy’s latest rate case in Kansas last week.

While the details still need approval by the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC), the settlement would bring a net increase of $74 million to Evergy Kansas Central and a net decrease of $32.9 million to Evergy Kansas Metro. Put another way, average customers of Kansas Central – which includes eastern areas such as Topeka and Wichita – would face increases of approximately $4.64 per month (4.05 percent). Under Kansas Metro, near the near Kansas City metro area, the average residential customer’s rates would fall about $6.07 per month (4.75 percent).

“This settlement is a very strong result for our customers,” David Campbell, Evergy president and chief executive, said. “As a result of this settlement, average retail rates in Kansas will have increased just one percent, cumulatively, since 2017. And Evergy will recover investments made to improve the electric grid and build a cleaner, more reliable energy future for our Kansas customers, all while improving our record of regional rate competitiveness.”

Evergy formed five years ago through a merger between regional utilities Westar Energy and KCP&L. As a result, its reach stretched across Kansas and Missouri alike. The company credited its efforts with saving more than $1 billion in operating costs since the merger, along with more than $232 million in merger credits passed on to customers.

In the face of these rate changes, the company also pointed to its neighbors, noting that while its own rates have increased only 1 percent – if the settlement goes through – between now and 2017, regional rates in neighboring states rose 12.7 percent.

An order from the KCC is scheduled to be issued in December 2023.