Evergy

Lee's Summit Republican Sen. Mike Cierpiot's bill would repeal a 1976 ban on charging customers for new power plants as they are built to meets future energy needs. Critics say it’s a cash grab by utilities who will undoubtedly raise rates.

School districts have canceled class Monday, and city halls around the metro will be closed as snow continues to accumulate. The city's warming shelters are open, and RideKC buses are serving as warming spaces as well.

Gov. Laura Kelly said the construction of the plants would create 500 construction jobs and 165 permanent jobs. She said the plants would ensure reliable energy in emergencies and during hot summer days.

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.

More than 10,000 households around Kansas City lack access to any kind of air conditioning — and during the summer, many more struggle to afford their electric utility bills. Some programs around Kansas City are trying to help.

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.

Missouri advocates are trying to gather 171,000 signatures for a ballot measure to legalize abortion, but even with a large amount of cash and enthusiasm, the Missouri General Assembly could get in their way. Plus: People in older, more affordable Kansas homes are more likely to lose power, and there's no easy fix.

Burying existing overhead power lines in developed neighborhoods would cost billions of dollars. That cost would immediately show up on electricity bills.

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."

The legislation filed by Senate Majority Leader Cindy O’Laughlin was inspired by Evergy’s rollout of time-of-use pricing plans to its customers last summer, which included a plan that would have quadrupled customers’ charges for energy used at times of high demand.

The rate increase was approved by the Kansas Corporation Commission on Tuesday morning. Regulators scaled back Evergy’s proposed electric rate hikes, saving Kansas City-area customers $6.07 a month.