Driving along the I-70 stretch between Kansas City and St. Louis lately? Then you might have noticed billboards or received mail flyers warning about Evergy's upcoming plans. In a nutshell, Evergy intends to overhaul its charging system for its Kansas City, Missouri customers this autumn with its latest time-based energy billing.

If you did your research on which plan was best for you before October 2nd, 2023 you may want to take note that the new default plan was changed last minute. What else changed as Missouri regulators approved the newest Evergy rates? The new default time-of-use pricing plan is now labelled on Evergy’s website as the “Default Rate Plan” Initially, Evergy would have enrolled customers in the Standard Peak Saver if they didn’t pick another plan. In the article published by the Missouri Independent on October 2nd. “Under that plan, electricity on summer afternoons will be four times the price that it is the rest of the day. But now, the default plan will be closer to Evergy’s traditional pricing with smaller differences between its highest and lowest rates.” The rate plans with some limited information as to the actual pricing will be can be found on Evergy’s website.

Understanding Time-Based Energy Plans

Time-based energy schemes, also recognized as time-of-use (TOU) or demand-driven pricing, offer varied electricity rates contingent on the time and day.

Here are two crucial terms for Kansas City denizens to be familiar with:

• Peak Hours: These are time slots with maximum electricity consumption, typically late afternoon to early evening. Due to high demand, electricity is costlier during these hours.

• Off-Peak Hours: Periods of reduced electricity demand, generally during the night and early dawn. Rates during these times are more economical, encouraging customers to utilize energy-intensive devices during these hours.

Evergy has introduced four different plans for its Missouri patrons:

• Summer Peak Time Based Plan (formerly Standard Peak Saver) – Previously this was the default plan; prices rise significantly between 4 pm-8 pm on weekdays from June to September.

• Default Time Based Plan (formerly Peak Reward Saver) – Advises minimal energy use between 4 pm and 8 pm daily. This plan is about 15.6 cents per kWh, not counting FAC, RASRAM, or DSIM charges, learn more about those here here: Evergy bill definitions. For a lot of residents this signifies a jump from 12.6 cents to 15.6 cents, 3 cents per kWh or in other words a 23.8% increase, making a $200 electric bill $247.

• Nights & Weekends Saver (no change)– Varied prices based on day, time, and season.

• Nights & Weekends Max Saver (no change) – Designed for adaptable energy users and electric vehicle owners.

Impact of Evergy's Plans on Kansas City Residents

Evergy has been proactive, sending communication to residents detailing these shifts. Some Kansas City residents have been advised to opt for the Standard Peak Saver, which may likely increase their monthly expenditure. While others have been steered towards the Nights & Weekends Saver Plan, where they might save a substantial amount annually.

In essence, the new Evergy schemes emphasize that if you don't manage your energy consumption during peak times (4 pm to 8 pm), you're in for heftier bills, particularly during summertime. But the change that went into effect in October had two major changes. The first one, is that it changed the default plan to a more similar billing structure as described above. The other change is that it limited residents from switching plans throughout the year. This means the plan you choose may be one you’re stuck with for a while. Meaning that for a lot of residents this is a 23.8% increase in their bills.

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