HUTCHINSON — The Kansas Corporation Commission on Tuesday held a public hearing on Evergy’s request for a line-siting permit for a new approximately 15-mile, 345-kilovolt transmission line in Reno County that would connect the McNew generating station to the existing Reno County Substation.
KCC Chair Andrew French, joined by Commissioner Dwight Keen and Commissioner Annie Kieither (participating by Zoom), told attendees the docket was opened after Evergy requested approval to site and build the line, which would tie the new McNew facility into Evergy’s transmission grid. French emphasized the hearing was limited to the transmission line siting permit and did not address whether the generating station should exist, only the line proposed to connect it.
The hearing was structured in two parts: an informational session with presentations from Evergy and KCC staff followed by a Q&A, and then a formal public comment period for residents to enter comments into the official record.
Evergy outlines route study and timeline
Evergy Vice President of Transmission Steve Vetch said the company’s 2024 Integrated Resource Plan identified a need for additional capacity and energy tied to demand growth and requirements from the Southwest Power Pool. He referenced a prior KCC order in Evergy’s predetermination case that granted authority to construct and own two combined-cycle natural gas facilities in Kansas, including the McNew station in Reno County.
Vetch said the proposed transmission line would strengthen capacity and reliability and help meet the needs of homes and businesses in Hutchinson, central Kansas and beyond.
Evergy project manager Scott Lord described a routing study that began in March 2025, including the use of an engineering consultant and an internal multi-discipline team to identify potential routes connecting the McNew station and the Reno County substation.
Lord said routes were evaluated on a wide range of criteria, including maximizing distance from residences and public facilities, minimizing impacts to cultivated land and irrigation pivots, avoiding wetlands and sensitive habitat where possible, and maintaining a practical line length with fewer angles. Lord noted the route network generally headed east and north, influenced by proximity to the Hutchinson Municipal Airport.
Evergy held a public open house on July 29, 2025, Lord said, inviting landowners within 1,000 feet of identified line segments and collecting questionnaires to weigh route factors. Evergy then modified the route network and scored alternate routes using weighted criteria based on public input, agency feedback, engineering and KCC guidance.
If approved, Lord said, the project schedule would include easement acquisition in 2026, engineering and procurement in 2026 and 2027, construction beginning in January 2028 and ending in December 2028, and restoration extending into 2029.
KCC staff: Case is about the line, not the plant
KCC staff attorney Assan Latif told attendees the commission is a state agency with three commissioners appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Kansas Senate. Latif said KCC proceedings operate similar to administrative trials, with commissioners serving as the decision-makers and KCC technical staff acting as a party advocating on behalf of the public interest.
Latif said Evergy filed its application on Nov. 14, 2025, seeking approval for an approximately 15-mile, 345-kV transmission line in Reno County. He reiterated the public hearing and docket focus on the transmission line only.
Latif said KCC staff are conducting an independent review of Evergy’s routing study, potential impacts and whether the process used appropriate reasoning, and will file testimony stating staff’s position after the investigation is complete. He also referenced commission guidance adopted for transmission line siting proceedings.
Q&A highlights: Substation noise, right-of-way concerns, restoration and trees
During the Q&A portion, residents raised a series of questions and concerns ranging from substation impacts to restoration expectations and accountability during construction.
One resident living near the Reno County substation asked whether the new line would increase audible “humming” and whether Evergy could reduce lighting around the site. Evergy responded that the line connecting the plant to the grid would likely carry lower amperage than other existing lines feeding the substation, and said substation lighting is used for security due to theft concerns. Evergy also said work at the substation would remain within existing fence lines.
Others asked about restoration and how Evergy compensates for damage, including questions about trash left behind after projects, equipment traveling outside easements, and whether land would be restored to original conditions. KCC staff noted residents can contact the commission if construction crews go outside the right-of-way and said restoration compliance issues can be addressed through formal channels.
A property owner whose land includes mature timber asked how restoration works when tree clearing is required. Evergy said easements require the corridor to remain clear of tall-growing vegetation and indicated wooded areas would be cleared within the easement. Evergy said tree compensation is handled during the easement process and restoration would typically return areas to native grass, while encouraging landowners to discuss specifics with Evergy’s real estate staff.
Additional commenters echoed notification concerns and proposed route changes. one resident requested shifting the line east several hundred feet near Kent Street, arguing it would reduce residential adjacency. Another landowner said his wife received notifications on one property, but he did not receive notice on another property where the line would cross for roughly a mile.
Deadlines and next steps
French reminded residents that public comments can be submitted in multiple ways and will be accepted through 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 26, with all comments carrying equal weight regardless of whether they are made in person, online, by mail or by phone.
The commission said it will hold an evidentiary hearing on March 9 at 10 a.m. in the KCC hearing room in Topeka, with the hearing also broadcast on the commission’s YouTube channel. Commissioners said a final decision is scheduled on or before May 13.
Evergy and KCC staff encouraged landowners seeking more information to review docket filings through the commission’s website and to contact the appropriate offices with questions about the process.