More Details Released on Proposed $6 Billion Data Center

More details were released regarding the proposed $6 billion data center near Pumpkin Center south of Maryville at a community forum Wednesday. Hundreds of people came to the Mozingo Events Center to meet with representatives from Scale Microgrids, which is developing the project, along with several other corporations and consulting firms that are involved with the project. There was also a representative from Evergy there. There were so many people there that the regular parking area at Mozingo filled up, and people had to use the overflow parking area south of the main parking lot. What is still not known is who the end user of this project will be. 

The proposed facility will use reclaimed wastewater. The wastewater will be used to reduce emissions from the gas-powered generator; Scale says that they can reduce emissions by 97% by using wastewater. They would have their own water purification system on site. If they draw wastewater from the City of Maryville, it would be in addition to the water treatment they use. Afterwards, the wastewater would go back to Maryville, treated by the city following DNR and EPA standards, and then dumped back into the 102.

There would be more water usage than expected from the data center. Earlier estimates pegged the center's daily wastewater usage at 600,000 to 650,000 gallons of water per day. Scale's own fact sheet presentation at Wednesday's meeting says that the new center would need an initial influx of 1.5 million gallons of water. In addition, the facility would need maintenance every three years according to Scale. This would involve draining 30% of the wastewater and having it hauled off by a company certified to do so. 

Several other reps of companies and consulting firms were there Wednesday. Involved in the project are:

--Kimley-Horn, a planning, surveying, engineering, and design consulting firm based in North Carolina, with $2.8 billion in revenues and 140+ locations around the country.

--Epsilon Associates, a permitting firm based in Massachusetts, which specializes in regulatory permitting from the EPA.

--Olsson Environmental Health, an environmental consulting firm;

--Environmental Consulting & Technology (ECT), a Florida based environmental consulting firm with employees in 29 states;

--Greenlight Strategies, a Colorado based land use consulting firm which specializes in fighting what they say is misinformation. They focus primarily on housing projects but can work on any land-use project. In part, its website says, "Maybe you’ve seen this scenario before: a small band of community members has decided to fight your project. With nothing but time on their hands — and sometimes with just a casual relationship with the truth — they begin spreading misinformation, outright falsehoods, and ad hominem attacks in the local paper, on Facebook, and NextDoor. Relying on time-tested scare tactics and gaslighting, these noisy few repeat and amplify claims that your project will permanently destroy neighborhood character, take away open space, create traffic nightmares, lead to spikes in crime, and result in plummeting home values and quality of life. And even though the misinformation is rarely truthful or factual, there’s a reason why these same lines are used over and over: they’ve always worked." Recent gatherings of data center opponents have drawn 200-300 people.

ECT presented some information at the Wednesday gathering regarding the environmental aspects of the project. There will be one protected area of 13.80 acres on the property that will not be developed. There is one cell tower, two transmission lines, and one substation on the proposed project; these pieces of infrastructure will not be moved. They say there is no critical habitat within the area. If protected species are observed in the area, the project will be halted. Any tree cutting that is needed will be done during the winter, when bats are not present. Nest areas of migratory birds will be protected. 

Epsilon presented some information regarding the noise issues at the facility. The goal for the facility will be to emit sound of 50 decibels or less. This will be done through less noisy equipment, sound barriers, silencers, and other methods. The presentation did not address the issue of noise and cattle, which are more sensitive to noise than humans. It did not address the issue of subconscious noise, which can still affect humans. It depends on how well the anti-sound systems are constructed. A good sound barrier can protect cattle against high-frequency noises from cooling fans. But such barriers are ineffective against the large HVAC systems and backup generators that these centers use. For that, they would need to equip specialized silencers directly on their exhaust valves.

One problem is that silencers and sound barriers are ineffective at blocking the low-frequency noises that are not audible to humans but that can still negatively affect them. A January 2024 study from BMC Public Health, a scientific journal, found that low-frequency noise can negatively impact higher-order cognitive functions such as logical reasoning, mathematical calculations, and data processing. They can also cause stress, sleep deprivation, vibrating, and ear pressure on humans. Low-frequency waves can pass right over sound barriers and right through silencers. 

Stopping low-frequency sound can be done, but it would make the project much more expensive. Some silencers have internal chambers, but these have to be specialized and match the exact frequency of the sound waves in question. If installed properly, the sound bounces back on itself and cancels itself out. Some pieces of equipment are installed on massive concrete bases that stop the sound from entering the ground. Some pieces of equipment are equipped with massive anti-noise headphones which cancel out the noise. Such a facility would then have to be constantly monitored so that noise issues can be identified and fixed.

While the proposed facility would generate its own energy, Evergy presented a fact sheet with what would happen if the facility's energy needs were to increase and they were to hook up to Evergy. Last year, regulators in both Missouri and Kansas approved a special electric rate that establishes criteria that all large energy users over 75 megawatts, including data centers, must meet before connecting to Evergy's system. 

--Data centers have to pay 100% of all direct costs for service.

--Data centers must pay a premium rate that is as much as 20% higher than existing rates. 

--Data centers must pay a significant portion of the ongoing costs to operate and maintain the electrical grid.

--Data centers must sign long-term contracts for up to 17 years with significant early cancelation penalties.

--Data centers have a monthly minimum bill that they must pay whether or not they use Evergy's energy.

Evergy says that data centers provide various economic benefits. They say that data centers share in the cost of utility upgrades, provide millions of dollars in local revenue, enable more investment, and create construction, permanent, and ongoing maintenance jobs. Evergy says data centers are vital to national security by ensuring the US has enough computing power and storage to operate vital businesses as well as military and financial systems.

Evergy is required to have enough power to meet its highest load plus a 15-38% reserve margin. In other words, they cannot add new customers without already having the capacity to provide the energy and keep a larger margin in reserve. Evergy reports that it averages fewer than ten days a year when it is on heightened alert status because of strains on the grid. In 2021, Evergy had rolling blackouts lasting half an hour due to a massive winter storm. Sheridan was affected.

Evergy says that data centers will not increase power costs; in fact, they say that they will reduce costs by paying a significant portion of the ongoing costs to operate and maintain the grid.

Strategic Economic Research, a consulting firm based in Normal (IL), did an economic impact study for the proposed $6.3 billion data center in March. The study says it would generate over $1.1 billion in total local taxes for all taxing districts over the estimated 35-year lifespan of the project. They say it would generate 445 local jobs during construction, 4,803 jobs for the state of Missouri, 591 new local long-term jobs for Nodaway County, and 751.4 new long-term jobs for Missouri.

The SER study says that the project would generate $38.2 million in local earnings during construction for Nodaway County, $427 million in earnings for Missouri, over $33.5 million in new local long-term earnings for Nodaway County, and over $45.7 million in new earnings for Missouri. The SER study estimates over 145 million in new output in Nodaway County during construction, $3.3 billion in new local output during construction in Missouri, over $133 million in new local long-term output for Nodaway County, and over $173 million in new long-term output for Missouri.

The project is estimated to have a lifespan of 35 years. Estimated total local taxes to be paid by the project are estimated to be $1.1 billion over that 35-year span. This includes all taxing entities, including the South Nodaway School. No comprehensive tax payment was calculated, and their calculations were used to illustrate the potential economic impact of the project. 

The Nodaway County Public Water Supply District provided some background and information about the project in a fact sheet drawn up by White Cloud Engineering and Construction. In 2024, Evergy approached the Water District about serving the Mullen Creek power plant with 150 gallons per minute of treated water. Their plan is to install a main line from Savannah through Andrew PWSD #3 to the Evergy site and add storage that can be used by the entire district. The plan is to start providing construction water to Evergy as soon as possible.

In October 2025, representatives of ReLoad, which was subsequently bought out by Scale Microgrids, approached the district about serving the proposed data center. The Rural Water District is now in the process of carrying out a feasibility study, funded by Scale Microgrids, to determine the best course of action. The district hired White Cloud Engineering and Construction to oversee it and the consulting firm of Lamp/Rynearson of Kansas City to carry out the study. The study is set to be complete by the middle of June, after which the district will release it to the public.

Scale is requesting 12,000 to 15,000 gallons of water per day for domestic use by the center's employees and 70,000 gallons a day of water usage for production and industrial usage. The center would receive water in a normal manner and then be responsible for using it in accordance with DNR, EPA, and District standards. They may be interested in more supply periodically according to the district. 

The study is examining options for water supply, including:

--Expansion of District infrastructure to allow the volume to come from the City of Maryville;

--Increasing the scope and costs to allow the center to piggyback onto the Evergy project;

--Using wastewater presently discharged from the City of Maryville;

--Allowing the center to draw directly from the 102 River, which could be a stand-alone project without District input.

Some options have already been ruled out. One is digging for groundwater; many opponents have expressed concern that groundwater use would contaminate or drain their wells. Another option that was ruled out was drawing the water from the Missouri River due to the distance and cost involved. 

Evergy Urges Space Heater Safety as Winter Weather is Here

Cold weather is here, and Evergy urges customers to be safe when using space heaters, electric blankets and other portable home heating devices. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports space heaters cause more than 20,000 housefires each year. While central heating is more efficient and cost-effective, space heaters can provide extra comfort when safely used during colder temperatures.  

Space Heaters  

Always review and follow any safety instructions on your specific space heater.  

Plug your heater into a wall outlet. Never plug a portable space heater into a power strip or extension cord.

Heaters should be placed on flat surfaces, such as the floor. Do not leave them anywhere that they could fall. 

Keep them 3 feet from other items, especially blankets and curtains. 

Make sure they have the proper certifications, for example, UL approved. This means the product has been tested and meets specific safety requirements. 

Do not leave a running space heater unattended or use one while sleeping. Choose a space heater with a timer. 

Choose a space heater that is the proper size for the room to avoid wasting energy or overheating a room.  

Electric Blankets 

Throw out electric blankets or heating pads with dark, charred or frayed spots or indications the electric cord is cracked or frayed.  

Do not allow anything on top of a heating pad or electric blanket when it is in use, including other blankets or even pets. Electric blankets may overheat. 

Never fold electric blankets when in use. Folded or tucked-in blankets could overheat and cause a fire. 

Do not use electric blankets or heating pads while sleeping. Turn them off when not in use. 

An Evergy representative is available to talk about space heater and electric blanket safety, and the proper ways to use both.

 

Northwest Presented Rebate Check from Evergy

Energy efficiency is paying off for Northwest Missouri State University.

During Thursday’s Board of Regents meeting at the University, Evergy, which supplies the Northwest campus with electrical energy, presented the institution with a large check for $409,646 to celebrate its energy-efficient projects during the last five years that have saved the equivalent of a year’s worth of energy in 254 homes.

“Evergy’s incentive rebates have allowed Northwest to accelerate a variety of projects aimed at increasing energy efficiencies,” Dan Haslag, Northwest’s assistant vice president of facility services, said. “As energy conservation is an important element of our institution’s sustainability plan, we look forward to ongoing opportunities through Evergy’s energy savings program.”

Northwest began participating in Evergy’s Business Energy Savings Program in 2019. Since then, the University has completed nearly two dozen projects and used Evergy rebates to make energy-efficient upgrades that reduce energy usage and cost.

Among the enhancements Northwest achieved, the University completed LED lighting upgrades in Colden Hall, Wells Hall, South Complex, Garrett-Strong Science Building, B.D. Owens Library and the J.W. Jones Student Union.

Additionally, Northwest completed energy audits and a retro-commissioning of the HVAC systems in Hudson and Perrin residence halls, South Complex, Tower Suites and the Student Union.

“We are very grateful to Evergy and their energy savings program as it has allowed Northwest to stretch our budgets for improvements to our deferred maintenance backlog, while also enhancing the aesthetics, comfort and quality of learning and living spaces for our students,” Scott Kuhlemeyer, Northwest’s director of capital programs, said.

This spring, Northwest is beginning a multi-year project that will transform and modernize the campus’s central plant. The total cost is estimated to be no more than $105 million and it will take two to three years to complete, making it the largest capital project in the institution’s history.

Evergy West Seeks Base Rate Increase of $104.5 Million

The Missouri Public Service Commission has established the deadline for those wishing to intervene and participate in an electric rate case filed by Evergy Missouri West, Inc. d/b/a Evergy Missouri West.

Applications to intervene and participate in the electric rate case must be filed no later than 

February 20, 2024, with the Secretary of the Missouri Public Service Commission, P.O. Box 360, Jefferson City, Missouri 65102, or by using the Commission’s Electronic Filing and Information System (EFIS) at www.psc.mo.gov .

Individual citizens wishing to comment should contact either the Office of the Public Counsel (Governor Office Building, 200 Madison Street, Suite 650, P.O. Box 2230, Jefferson City, Missouri 65102-2230, telephone (866) 922-2959, email opcservice@opc.mo.gov or the Public Service Commission Staff (P.O. Box 360, Jefferson City, Missouri 65102, telephone 1-800-392-4211, email pscinfo@psc.mo.gov). The Office of the Public Counsel is a separate state agency that represents the general public in matters before the Commission. 

On February 2, 2024, Evergy Missouri West filed an electric rate case with the Missouri Public Service Commission seeking a net increase in its base rates of approximately $104.5 million.

Evergy Missouri West provides electric service to approximately 340,300 customers in the 

Missouri counties of Andrew, Atchison, Barton, Bates, Benton, Buchanan, Carroll, Cass, Cedar, Clay, Clinton, Dade, Daviess, DeKalb, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Henry, Holt, Jackson, Johnson, Lafayette, Livingston, Mercer, Nodaway, Pettis, Platte, Ray, St. Clair, Vernon and Worth.

Evergy Electric Rates to Go Up February 1st

The Missouri Public Service Commission has approved a request filed by Evergy Missouri West, Inc. d/b/a Evergy Missouri West to adjust the Demand Side Programs Investment Mechanism (DSIM) charge on customer bills. The DSIM charge, which appears as a separate line-item on customer bills, allows Evergy Missouri West to recover demand-side management program costs and incentives under the Missouri Energy Efficiency Investment Act (MEEIA). 

A residential customer using 1,000 kWh (kilowatt-hours) of electricity a month will see the charge increase by approximately $1.35 a month effective February 1, 2024.

Most Evergy Customers See Power Restored

Evergy has restored power to nearly all its customers from Monday night’s and Tuesday afternoon’s snowstorm. At the peak of the snowstorm, there were 35,000 Evergy customers without power. By Tuesday evening at 5 p.m., about 15,000 customers were still without power, with 5,000 in Kansas and 10,000 in Missouri.  By Wednesday evening at 6 pm, there were 100 customers without power, all in the Kansas City area.

As the storm moved through Evergy’s service area during the day Tuesday, crews were restoring power in one area, while they were experiencing new outages in other areas. From 4 a.m. to noon, they had an average of about 150 new outage events per hour, resulting in about 10,500 new customers without power each hour.

In Hutchinson and Wichita, outage numbers were highest early this morning with about 2,000 out in Hutchinson and 13,000 in Wichita. By Tuesday evening, about 500 customers in Hutchinson and 2,000 in the Wichita area were still without power. In the Kansas City metro area, outage numbers were highest with about 25,000 customers out mid-morning. As of Tuesday evening, about 8500 customers in the KC metro area were out. 

Sheridan saw the electricity repeatedly flicker on and off Tuesday afternoon, but it never lost power. Many parts of Harrison County were out, including Eagleville, Blythedale, and Ridgeway.

Outages Tuesday were largely a result of 50 mph winds combined with snow weighing down trees in some areas. Most of the repairs involved clearing vegetation and then replacing broken power lines and fixing switches and related equipment. Many of these work sites are in alleyways and other locations that are difficult to access. Poor conditions and low visibility slowed down restoration efforts.

The snow did not accumulate as much Monday night in this area, but overnight, when temperatures cooled off, snow accumulated, rendering roads impassible Tuesday. Webster City (IA), where the Sheridan Express sends its pages to get printed, was not hit as hard, and they were able to print the paper on time. The mail came both Tuesday and Wednesday.

There were 1,500 employees and contractors, including line and vegetation crews, working on storm restoration efforts. Liberty Utilities, which serves parts of southeast Kansas and southwest Missouri, sent crews to assist. There were crews coming in from Nebraska and other areas of Missouri. Internally, crews from areas that weren’t impacted are assisting in communities with more outages.

Customers can report outages by downloading the Evergy app, going to the Evergy website, or calling 800-LIGHT-KS (800) 544-4857 in Kansas, or 888-LIGHT-KC (888) 544-4852 in Missouri.

People may see Evergy cars and trucks in neighborhoods assessing damage so that line crews have the needed equipment when they arrive. Please let the crews work safely so they can restore power.

Evergy Electric Rate to Decrease by 69 Cents

On Wednesday, the Missouri Public Service Commission approved a request by Evergy West, which serves Nodaway, Worth, Gentry, and Harrison Counties, to lower their Demand Side Programs Investment Mechanism charge (DSIM) on customer bills. The DSIM charge, which appears as a separate line item on customer bills, allows Evergy West to recover demand-side management program costs and incentives under the Missouri Energy Efficiency Investment Act. A residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a month will see the charge decrease by approximately 69 cents a month effective August 1st.

Evergy West Files Two Rate Cases

Evergy Missouri West, Inc. d/b/a Evergy Missouri West (Evergy West) has filed a request with the Missouri Public Service Commission to adjust the fuel adjustment charge (FAC) on the bills of its electric customers.

Evergy West made two filings. In its first filing (Case No. ER-2023-0444), Evergy West proposes to adjust the FAC to reflect fuel and purchased power costs for the six month period of December 2022 through May 2023. The second case is Evergy West’s true-up filing (Case No. EO2023-0445). 

According to the filings, a residential customer using 1,000 kWh (kilowatt-hours) a month will see the monthly FAC charge drop by approximately $0.29 a month. The proposed change would take effect on September 1, 2023. 

Applications to intervene and participate in these cases must be filed no later than July 18, 2023, with the Secretary of the Missouri Public Service Commission, P.O. Box 360, Jefferson City, Missouri 65102-0360, or by using the Commission’s Electronic Filing and Information System (EFIS) at www.psc.mo.gov .

Individual citizens wishing to comment should contact either the Office of the Public Counsel (Governor Office Building, 200 Madison Street, Suite 650, P.O. Box 2230, Jefferson City, Missouri 65102-2230, telephone (866) 922-2959, email opcservice@opc.mo.gov) or the Public Service Commission Staff (P.O. Box 360, Jefferson City, Missouri 65102, telephone 1-800-392-4211, email pscinfo@psc.mo.gov). The Office of the Public Counsel is a separate state agency that represents the general public in matters before the Commission. 

PSC Sets Intervention Deadline for Evergy Rate Decrease Proposal

On Tuesday, Evergy West, which serves Worth, Nodaway, Gentry, and Harrison counties, filed an application to adjust the Demand Side Investment Mechanism charge (DSIM) on customer bills. The DSIM charge, which appears as a separate line item on customer bills, allows Evergy West to recover demand side management program costs and incentives under the Missouri Energy Efficiency Investment Act.

According to the application, a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a month will see the charge decrease by approximately $1.06 per month, effective February 1st, 2023.

Applications to intervene and participate in this case must be filed no later than December 22nd, 2022 with the Secretary of the Missouri Public Service Commission, PO Box 360, Jefferson City, MO 65102 or by visiting the website www.psc.mo.gov.

Individual citizens wishing to comment may contact the Public Service Commission at PO Box 360, Jefferson City, MO 65102 or call (800) 392-4211 or email pscinfo@psc.mo.gov.

Wednesday’s Storms Knocked Out Power, Spawned Four Tornadoes

Wednesday morning’s storms spawned four tornadoes near Kansas City and knocked out power to tens of thousands of customers. The storms passed through Sheridan and pelted the area for three hours before passing on.

The National Weather Service reported that four tornadoes touched down that morning. An EF-2 with 115 mph max wind touched down near Buckner (MO). An EF-1 developed on the west side of Lenexa (KS), and two smaller tornadoes spawned in Miami County (KS). There were also straight-line wind gusts and large hail associated with the storm.

Evergy reported that 80,000 customers lost power in the Kansas City area. More than 1,000 field personnel, including 650 lineworkers, were deployed to restore power. Power was restored Thursday.

Power Out in Grant City 10 Hours

On Saturday, the power went out in Grant City for 10 hours, starting at 6:15 am. The cause was a tree south of Grant City that had fallen on a power line in a remote area. It took electric crews hours to cut their way through so they could replace the pole. Power was also out in Allendale, while power was out in Denver and Worth for two hours. The electricity in Sheridan flickered on and off. Power to the school was not affected because it is on United Electric. Power to United Electric customers was not affected.

Storm Knocks Power Out of Area

Storms Wednesday afternoon and evening knocked power out of the area. Sheridan lost power at around 5:30 that evening; service was restored at 7:23, but the lights flickered on and off for another 40 minutes before they finally stayed on. Grant City was without power from 6:30 to 10:30 pm. Some parts of Hopkins and Pickering didn’t lose power at all, but the school was out until noon Thursday, meaning school was called off that day. 

There were sustained winds of at least 30 mph with these storms, which stretched from Oklahoma to Wisconsin. The National Weather Service issued over 50 tornado warnings all night. A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for the area and then extended. 

There were winds as high as 90 mph in Omaha and Lincoln, and there was a wildfire in Kansas that blew smoke into the area. The Taylor County Sheriff’s Department got calls about the smoke, which could be smelled as far east as the Illinois border. There were at least six tornadoes spawned in Iowa.

However, the area was spared some of the worst damage. Part of a tree went down on the south end of Sheridan. Winds blew down sheds east of town, blew some windows out of the Grant City Post Office, and blew down both sheds in Mark Fletcher’s yard. The storm uprooted a tree in Maitland.

At its peak, around 258,000 Evergy customers, or over 15%, were without power. By Thursday, power was restored to all but 20,000 customers although some outages extended into the weekend. Service to most areas was restored by Sunday. Downed power lines, broken poles, and other damage complicated the work.

Over 250 people from other utilities came and assisted Evergy with the restoration of power, including crews from Ameren, Liberty Utilities, and the City of Springfield. Crews worked around the clock to restore power.

United Electric reported that their system had 115 broken poles and many more downed wires. At the height of the storm, around 3,300 customers, or 40% of their customers, were without power. The first outage came in at 4:30 pm Wednesday, and service was restored to most customers by around 11 pm Thursday night. All 24 lineman worked 30 hours until all power was restored. They received help from Kiowa and Platte-Clay Electric.

Power Goes Out in Ravenwood Twice in One Week

Power went out in Ravenwood twice in one week. The cause was a blown transformer. The first time, last Tuesday, it was replaced with a used transformer. However, on Sunday morning around midnight, the used transformer blew, causing the power to go out again. The electricity flickered off in Sheridan, but came right back on. Evergy had to send a crew clear from Kansas City to work on the transformer, which arrived at 5:11 am that morning.

At first, the estimated restore time for Ravenwood was 2 pm that afternoon. But then the sourcing changed, pushing the restore time back to 5 pm. The restore time was then pushed back later because due to mud from recent rains, the new 30,000 pound transformer was a challenge to set. Service was restored to Ravenwood later that evening.

Power Outages Hit Area Again

On Monday morning, the power went off for Parnell, Sheridan, and Grant City at around 4:30 am. Crews were working on the Parnell substation. Service was restored around 5:45 am. Just five minutes later, the transformer at the Grant City Hy-Vee substation blew, causing the street lights to flash on and off several times before power went off again at 5:53 am. Over 600 people were without power in Grant City, along with the line that runs east to Allendale along with the line that runs south along Route 169 for several miles. Service was not restored until 9:30 am that morning. 

Worth County continued to have school that morning; the school is on United Electric, which was not affected by the outage. The affected areas were on the Evergy lines.

Evergy Extends Moratorium on Disconnections

 Evergy will extend its moratorium on service disconnections through May 2. This temporary moratorium includes residential and small business customers who owe past-due balances. Evergy encourages eligible customers to access limited emergency funds available for pandemic relief. Evergy is waiving late fees and offering up to 12-month payment plans to help customers pay toward their electricity bills.

“Evergy is extending our moratorium on disconnects as new assistance is coming available for customers affected by the pandemic,” said Chuck Caisley, Evergy senior vice president and chief customer officer. “Over the last year, some customers may have accumulated a high past-due balance, and emergency assistance funds could help them reduce balances owed. We encourage customers to seek assistance now as funding is limited and will expire this year.”

Over the upcoming weeks, Evergy will communicate with customers whose account may be in danger of disconnection beginning May 3. Information about financial assistance from community social service agencies is available by calling 2-1-1. Many local communities have special emergency funds available due to the pandemic. Application periods and eligibility vary by program. As Evergy learns about programs, information is added to our Bill Relief Options page at https://www.evergy.com/landing/bill-relief-options.

If customers need information about payment options, we encourage them to contact our customer service team. Payment arrangements may be set up online at evergy.com. Evergy Missouri service areas and Evergy Kansas Metro may reach customer service toll-free at 1-888-471-5275. Evergy Kansas Central customers may call 1-800-383-1183.  Our customer call centers are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Evergy implemented a moratorium on disconnections March 13, 2020, as many communities began closing down as part of their pandemic response. In June, special bill credits were offered to customers as disconnections resumed July 15. Shortly before Thanksgiving, Evergy reinstated the disconnect moratorium and has not disconnected customers for nonpayment since that time.

Rolling Blackouts Possible for Area

 Due to extended extreme temperatures affecting the regional power supply, the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) has asked member electric utilities, including Evergy, to implement controlled, temporary emergency electricity reductions in order to help avoid larger uncontrolled and extended power outages throughout the region.

Beginning on February 15 at 12:15 p.m., Evergy will begin to turn off electricity to blocks of customers for approximately 30 – 60 minutes. Once the period has concluded, power will be restored to the impacted area. The emergency outages will then rotate to another portion of Evergy’s service area. Power will cycle off and on periodically until the reduction is no longer required by the SPP. With these extreme cold temperatures, equipment may not operate as intended. As a result, outages could last longer than 30 - 60 minutes.

If you are impacted by an emergency electricity reduction, you do not need to report your outage.  Rather, check Evergy’s outage map and www.evergy.com/outageinfo for more information.  All customers should be prepared for the potential for these periodic outages. If you experience an outage that lasts longer than an hour, report your outage at www.evergy.com or call 888-544-4852 or 800-544-4857, for Kansas Central customers.

Evergy asks customers to continue to conserve energy to help reduce stress on the power grid, potentially reducing the ongoing need for emergency reductions.

Turn thermostats a little cooler (65-68 degrees). Avoid the use of electric space heaters. 

Close blinds and shades to reduce the amount of heat lost through windows. 

Turn off unnecessary lights and appliances.

When possible, delay non-essential uses of energy washing drying clothes, washing dishes and bathing to non-peak hours, between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.  

Use low-temperature cooking methods and avoid opening the oven door if it’s on.

Evergy is also working with its large commercial and industrial customers to reduce energy usage this week. The company has reduced electricity use at Evergy facilities, implemented cold-weather procedures, and adapted operations at its power plants to keep equipment working and fuel available to generate electricity for customers.

Evergy is a member of the Southwest Power Pool, which coordinates the regional transmission grid and wholesale energy markets for a 17-state region across the central United States, including Kansas and Missouri. The SPP monitors power flow through its footprint and coordinates regional response in emergency situations.

In addition to the SPP call for reductions, its peers in Texas and the upper Midwest are also facing electricity shortages and are asking customers to conserve.