Kansas regulators want answers on Evergy’s planned projects

Kansas energy regulators are asking whether billions of dollars in planned energy projects by a company serving 1.6 million customers in Kansas and Missouri will lead to unnecessary electric rate increases. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that the Kansas Corporation Commission on Tuesday ordered Evergy to explain $10.4 billion in expenditures it plans through 2025. The state’s chief utility regulator issued the order after a months-long review of a “sustainability transformation plan” that Evergy announced last year. Evergy has said the plan is needed to improve the reliability of its electric service and to better position the company for the future. Others argue that the plan is designed to boost the company’s stock value to benefit a big stockholder.