KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Evergy has sought permission to change the default plan for customers who do not select one of four new time-based plans that go into effect next month.
The Missouri Public Service Commission ordered Evergy to switch to time-based plans for peak summer hours in November 2022.
As a result, the electric utility is offering four plans for Missouri residential customers — the Standard Peak Saver, the Peak Reward Saver, the Nights and Weekends Saver, and the Nights and Weekends Max Saver.
Currently, the Standard Peak Saver — which features high rates from 4-8 p.m. on weekdays and low rates the rest of the week, including weekends and holidays — is the default plan for customers who don’t pick a plan.
Under the requested change, Evergy is asking for permission to change the default plan to the Peak Reward Saver plan.
It offers less savings during off-peak hours, but also charges a lower rate during peak weeknight hours compared with the Standard Peak Saver plan.
“Evergy has always advocated for customer rate choice and does not support mandated time-based rates,” Evergy’s Chief Customer Officer Chuck Caisley said in a statement. “Customers, elected officials and other stakeholders have clearly voiced their concerns about mandating summer peak pricing, and we appreciate that the Commission is willing to listen to this feedback. We have asked to change the default rate to one that provides a smaller price change during peak times and to allow customers to opt back into an ‘anytime’ rate, like we offer today, before the 2024 summer months.”
Evergy also is asking the Public Service Commission to allow for a standard tier rate plan, which is the way it currently charges customers without consideration of the time energy is consumed, in May 2024.
The utility hopes to offer that plan as “an option for customers who may not be able to make the shifts in electricity usage needed to be successful on a time-based rate plan during summer months,” Evergy said.
Additionally, Evergy wants customers who choose to switch time-based plans to be prevented from switching back to an old plan for at least 12 months, unless they are returning to the default plan.
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