KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released its 2023 summer outlook last week.
If the outlook, which calls for parts of the Midwest to have an above-average chance for warmer temperatures, turns out to be true, air conditioners might get a workout the next few months.
On Monday, the Southwest Power Pool, a regional electrical grid operator that coordinates electrical generation across several Midwest states, said even if there’s a heat wave, it predicts a 99.5% chance the system will be able to meet demand.
The agency said it reviewed summer forecasts, historical trends, availability of wind energy, drought conditions and other considerations as part of its 2023 Summer Seasonal Assessment last week.
“While our summer assessment didn’t raise any reliability concerns, we continue to plan for exceptional operational circumstances and work closely with our members to prepare for any possibility,” Southwest Power Pool senior Vice President of operations Bruce Rew said in a press release Monday. “We monitor the grid and make changes as necessary to responsibility and economically keep the lights on.”
While the power is likely to stay on, it could cost more for ratepayers across Kansas, Missouri and the Kansas City region.
One of SPP’s member utilities, Evergy, recently submitted a rate increase application with the Kansas Corporation Commission, the state agency in charge of reviewing utility rate changes.
In its application, Evergy said it is seeking approval to increase rates by $14.24 per month for customers in areas like Olathe, Leavenworth, Topeka, Lawrence, Leavenworth, Manhattan and Emporia, among others in a group the utility groups as “Evergy Central.”
A second group of customers in the “Evergy Metro,” which includes Lenexa, Overland Park and other Kansas City-areas not included in the Evergy Central group, could see their monthly bills increase by as much as $3.47.
Three public meetings have been established for ratepayers to provide input on the requested changes. The one closest for Kansas City residents is set for 6 p.m., Thursday, July 13, at the BEST Conference Center at the University of Kansas - Edwards Campus, 12600 S. Quivira Road in Overland Park.
More information about the hearings is available online.
Evergy filed the rate review in April, citing the need to “recover investments to modernize the power grid, increase reliability and enhance customer service.”
It’s the first base rate review the utility has made since 2018 when the utility merged with Westar Energy and Great Plains Energy.
Across Kansas, the proposed rate increase would affect nearly 1 million customers.
“We’ve exceeded our targeted merger savings and shared them with customers,” Evergy president and chief executive officer David Campbell said when the utility announced the rate review in April. “Now, we are seeing to recover investments made to improve the electric grid and build a smarter, more reliable energy future for our Kansas customers.”
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