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What you need to know about Evergy's new time-based electricity rates in Missouri

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A newly installed air conditioner sits in a window of a classroom in a red brick building.
David Mercer
/
AP
Evergy's new energy plans would charge customers more for using air conditioning during summer afternoons and evenings, when demand is highest.

Evergy is changing the way it charges for electrical usage beginning in October, moving from a flat rate to one based on demand at different times of day.

If you’re an Evergy customer in Missouri, your electricity bills may look a lot different starting next month. In October, the utility will begin transitioningto a new rate pricing structure based on varying demand through the day.

Air conditioning is one of the biggest draws of electricity, said Evergy chief customer officer Chuck Caisley, and time-based pricing is one way to spread that usage out.

“The hotter it is and the more electricity that is being used at a system level for all of our customers, the more expensive it becomes to generate," Caisley said.

In some of the new plans, electricity will cost more during peak hours in summer afternoons and evenings and cost less between midnight and 6 a.m.

"The hotter it is and the more electricity that is being used at a system level for all of our customers, the more expensive it becomes to generate," he said.

Other major appliances like dishwashers and dryers use a lot of the electricity in most households, and adjusting when you use them or installing a smart thermostat can make a difference in your bill.

Each plan is different, though, and choosing the best one for you will depend on your household, lifestyle and type of energy usage.

“If you're aware of when you use electricity and you can avoid or reduce using some electricity from 4 to 8 p.m. in the summertime, you can have real savings,” said Caisley.

Customers who don’t opt into one of four available plans will be enrolled in the default.

  • Chuck Caisley, Evergy chief customer officer
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