Evergy Central to increase utility rates starting in April for Kansas customers
TOPEKA (KSNT) - As a result of high natural gas prices in February 2021, Evergy Inc. will be increasing monthly charges for Kansas Central customers from April 2023 to March 2025.
On Feb. 14, 2021, Governor Laura Kelly issued a State of Disaster Emergency as a result of arctic conditions and stress on electric and natural gas providers during Winter Storm Uri.
On June 17, 2021, the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) approved Evergy Central to recover costs incurred by energy shortages during Winter Storm Uri. Customers in the Evergy Metro area will see a credit added to their utility bills.
“The Commission reiterates the unique nature of Winter Storm Uri and the extraordinary costs it produced," the KCC said. "As the Opponents of the Non-Unanimous Settlement acknowledge, Winter Storm Uri caused unprecedented financial harm throughout Kansas. Likewise, the evidence demonstrates that some customers in all rate classes conserved electricity and assisted in avoiding a system-wide failure like Texas experienced.”
On July 2, 2021, Evergy Kansas Metro and Evergy Kansas Central (Evergy) reported $33.7 million in fuel costs and $113.1 million in purchased power costs in excess of its three-year average.
Starting in April, residential customers of Evergy Central will see a monthly increase of $2.82 for two years, according to Evergy. Due to the sale of excess power back to the Southwest Power Pool, Evergy Metro residential customers will have a monthly credit of $6.60 for one year.
As outlined in KCC Docket No. 21-EKME-329-GIE below, if Evergy Central receives any payments of federal or state relief; the payments will be passed on to its customers through a retail cost adjustment clause.