KCP&L Negotiates $59M Rate Increase In Kansas

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Power & Light has negotiated a $59 million rate increase for its more than 205,000 Kansas customers.

The 14.4 percent increase would raise the average residential customer's electric bill by $10.36 per month. The money will go to pay for environmental upgrades at the utility's Iatan 1 coal-fired plant and construction of the new Iatan 2 power plant.

The Kansas Corporation Commission must still approve the agreement, which KCP&L reached with commission staff, the Citizens' Utility Ratepayer Board and Kansas Electric Power Cooperative Inc. KCP&L requested for the change to go into effect Aug. 1.

The utility, a unit of Great Plains Energy Inc., originally asked to raise rates by $71.6 million.

The commission will hold a hearing on the proposal on June 22.