Energy

City Manager Brian Platt first announced plans for a solar array at Kansas City International Airport, potentially the largest of its kind in the world, more than two years ago. But little has seemingly happened to move the progress forward.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates Rush Island released 275,000 tons of sulfur dioxide after it was updated without required pollution controls in 2007 and 2010.

Evergy Missouri West wants the Public Service Commission to OK a nearly 14% increase in electric rates, giving the company up to $105 million more in annual revenue. Last year, the company reported $731 million in earnings.

Evergy is proposing a nearly 14% rate increase starting in January. The public comment period is currently open, and customers can send their feedback before the Missouri Public Service Commission votes.

Sedgwick County looked poised to clear the way for the Chisholm Trail solar project. But nearby residents expressed concerns about pollution, pushing regulators to extend a temporary ban on utility-scale solar developments.

The rules will affect new residential construction projects funded by the federal Housing and Rural Development agency. Now, lawmakers are pushing the agency that oversees the nation’s two largest mortgage backers to adopt similar measures.

Veterans who helped test nuclear weapons are fighting to renew a 34-year-old law meant to help compensate for the long-term health effects of their work. Republican Sen. Josh Hawley has spotlighted the issue in Missouri, where generations of people have been exposed to radioactive waste tied to the Manhattan project.

The Kansas Sky Energy Center is projected to supply enough energy to power 30,000 homes annually for 25 years. The proposal faces pushback from local landowners over the loss of prime farmland and an overloaded stormwater system.

While solar power increased, wind energy fell in 2023 in Missouri and Illinois, according to a new report from Climate Central, a nonprofit that analyzes and reports on climate science.

After an especially cold month, Kansas City residents can expect energy and gas bills sometimes topping $200. Utilities like Evergy, Spire and Ameren need approval on their rates from regulators in Missouri and Kansas.

Kansas City got nearly six inches of snow over the last day. Evergy reported nearly 1,400 separate outages in Kansas and Missouri as of Tuesday afternoon, due to the storms and high winds. Looking ahead, "brutal cold."

Environmental justice efforts have gained renewed relevance as a result of unprecedented funding offered by the Biden administration. Tom Jacobs of the Mid-America Regional Council is working to bring that funding to Kansas City.