TOPEKA, Kan. — Friday afternoon, the parties in the Evergy rate case filed a unanimous settlement agreement with the Kansas Corporation Commission covering all issues in the case.
The parties include KCC staff, Evergy, the Citizens Utility Ratepayer Board, and a variety of groups representing industrial, commercial, educational, and environmental interests. The Commission still needs to evaluate the proposed settlement, and may approve, reject, or modify the agreement.
The Commission will conduct its hearing on the settlement agreement on Monday, October 9, 2023 at its Topeka office. The hearing will be livestreamed on the Commission’s YouTube channel. Limited public seating will also be available in the hearing room. At the hearing, Commissioners will have an opportunity to hear from parties’ witnesses and ask questions before deciding whether or not to approve the agreement. A Commission order is due by December 21, 2023.
In its Application, Evergy sought a net revenue increase of $204 million (9.77% increase) for Evergy Kansas Central (formerly Westar) and a net revenue increase of $14 million (1.95% increase) for Evergy Kansas Metro (formerly KCP&L). Under the settlement agreement, Evergy Kansas Central would receive a net revenue increase of $74 million (3.54% increase), and Evergy Kansas Metro would receive a net revenue decrease of $32.9 million (4.53% decrease).
If the settlement agreement is approved, the average monthly impact to residential customers will be an increase of $4.64 per month for Evergy Kansas Central customers and a decrease of $6.07 per month for Evergy Metro customers.
Evergy Kansas Central serves 736,000 customers in Topeka, Lawrence, Olathe, Leavenworth, Atchison, Manhattan, Salina, Hutchinson, Emporia, Parsons, Wichita, Arkansas City, El Dorado, Newton, Fort Scott, Pittsburg and Independence, among other towns and rural areas. Evergy Kansas Metro serves approximately 273,000 customers in Lenexa, Overland Park and other communities near the Kansas City metro area.
A link to the proposed settlement agreement is available here.
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