Evergy has requested for the Kansas Corporation Commission to approve a $196 million rate increase. The proposed rate hike would raise the average residential customer’s bill by about $13.05 per month or 10.36%.  Evergy CEO, David Campbell stated that the request for increased electricity rates would go towards infrastructure investments, cost of capital adjustments and expense adjustments. “Investments supporting reliable service are at the core of our request. Since the formation of Evergy in 2018, our Kansas electricity rates have become more competitive against regional peers, and we will maintain that focus.”

According to USInflationCalculator.com, the cost of electricity climbed from an average of 8.1 cents per kilowatt hour in 1985 to 13.5 cents in 2020, marking a 66.7% rate of increase in 35 years.

The Kansas Corporation Commission regulatory process is anticipated to take eight months, with new prices set to take effect in late September.

The rate increase would apply to the Evergy Kansas Central service territory, formerly known as the Westar area. It serves approximately 735,000 customers across much of eastern Kansas, including Topeka, but excludes most of the Kansas City metro area.

The rate increase would affect the Evergy Kansas Central service territory. Map Provided by Evergy.

The new rate increase request follows the unanimous approval of a rate hike by KCC utility regulators in November 2023. That Evergy request raised rates by $74 million in the central service area, a reduction from the $204 million Evergy initially sought.

The KCC is giving an opportunity for customers to make their voices heard. You can register to take part in the virtual meeting on March 5 here.

“For persons wishing to watch, but not comment during the public hearing, a live video stream will be available on the KCC YouTube channel,” the commission advised. “The hearing will also be recorded for later viewing.”

While electricity rate increases are never fun, they are to be expected over time. Whether it’s hotter summers, repairing damage to transmission equipment from severe weather, or the increased costs of doing business, we can all expect our utility bills to routinely rise.

A residential solar array installed on a Kansas home by Good Energy Solutions.

One of the best ways to battle rising electricity rates is solar energy.  By installing solar panels for your home or business, you lessen your reliance on utilities and reduce your energy costs every month. While solar panels come with an upfront cost, once you own them, the energy they produce is essentially free. Unlike Evergy’s power grid, the maintenance costs for your solar system is very low and predictable, giving you more financial stability. With solar, you protect yourself from future inflation or rate hikes since you’ll rely less, or even not at all, on utility-provided electricity.

You can create even more stability and self-reliance by adding a battery to your solar panel system. Batteries allow you to keep the essential electronics and appliances in your home or business powered, even when the grid goes down. That can come in handy when snow storms in winter or blackouts in summer unexpectedly cut power to your property. If you depend on energy to power your home office or run life-saving medical equipment, reliable electricity becomes far more valuable. Also, batteries can also offset Time of Use utility rate structure costs. You can save money by storing electricity when it’s cheaper (typically during off-peak hours) and using that stored energy during more expensive peak hours.

If you don’t have the cash to purchase a solar installation outright, several loan programs are available that make your monthly costs as much or lower than what you would normally pay for your monthly electricity from your utility company.

Now is an excellent time to go solar. The federal government offers a 30% tax credit to help further offset your upfront costs. Offset Kansas electricity rate hikes for years to come with solar and energy storage solutions. If you would like to know if your home or business is a good candidate for solar, our consultants can quickly audit your utility bills and the layout of your property to determine your savings for free.