Great Plains Energy (NYSE: GXP) today announced that Kansas City Power &
Light Company (KCP&L) and other parties to KCP&L’s pending rate case
before the Missouri Public Service Commission (MPSC) informed the MPSC
that they had reached an agreement in principle to settle the pending
rate case. The agreement in principle provides, among other things, for
an increase in annual revenues of approximately $95 million effective
September 1, 2009, with $10 million of that amount treated for
accounting purposes as additional amortization. Parties may challenge
the prudence of the cost of the Iatan 1 environmental project and the
cost of facilities used in common by Iatan 1 and 2 in KCP&L’s next rate
case, but the Missouri portion of any proposed rate base prudence
disallowance will not exceed $30 million in aggregate.
The agreement in principle is subject to the parties negotiating and
submitting a stipulation and agreement to the MPSC for its
consideration. The stipulation will be subject to MPSC approval, and
will be voidable if not approved in its entirety. It is possible that
the MPSC may approve the stipulation with changes, or may not approve
the stipulation. The terms of the agreement in principle have been filed
by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission today in an
8-K filing.
"The settlement filed today reflects the hard work and good faith of the
parties,” said Mike Chesser, Great Plains Energy Chairman and CEO. "We
believe the agreement is a fair settlement for all the parties involved
and we look forward to approval by the Commission.”
This is KCP&L's third of four rate cases associated with its
Comprehensive Energy Plan (CEP). KCP&L initially sought to increase
Missouri annual revenues by $101.5 million, including $15.1 million in
additional amortization to aid KCP&L with cash flow during the
construction phase of the CEP. KCP&L’s Missouri rates are now about
25-30% percent below the national average, and are expected to still be
among the lowest in the nation after the new rates become effective.
About The Companies:
Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., Great Plains Energy Incorporated
(NYSE: GXP) is the holding company of Kansas City Power & Light Company
and KCP&L Greater Missouri Operations Company, two of the leading
regulated providers of electricity in the Midwest. Kansas City Power &
Light and KCP&L Greater Missouri Operations use KCP&L as a brand name.
More information about the companies is available on the Internet at: www.greatplainsenergy.com
or www.kcpl.com.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Statements made in this release that are not based on historical facts
are forward-looking, may involve risks and uncertainties, and are
intended to be as of the date when made. Forward-looking statements
include, but are not limited to, the outcome of regulatory proceedings,
cost estimates of the Comprehensive Energy Plan and other matters
affecting future operations. In connection with the safe harbor
provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the
registrants are providing a number of important factors that could cause
actual results to differ materially from the provided forward-looking
information. These important factors include: future economic conditions
in regional, national and international markets and their effects on
sales, prices and costs, including but not limited to possible further
deterioration in economic conditions and the timing and extent of any
economic recovery; prices and availability of electricity in regional
and national wholesale markets; market perception of the energy
industry, Great Plains Energy, Kansas City Power & Light (KCP&L) and
KCP&L Greater Missouri Operations Company (GMO); changes in business
strategy, operations or development plans; effects of current or
proposed state and federal legislative and regulatory actions or
developments, including, but not limited to, deregulation, re-regulation
and restructuring of the electric utility industry; decisions of
regulators regarding rates KCP&L and GMO can charge for electricity;
adverse changes in applicable laws, regulations, rules, principles or
practices governing tax, accounting and environmental matters including,
but not limited to, air and water quality; financial market conditions
and performance including, but not limited to, changes in interest rates
and credit spreads and in availability and cost of capital and the
effects on nuclear decommissioning trust and pension plan assets and
costs; credit ratings; inflation rates; effectiveness of risk management
policies and procedures and the ability of counterparties to satisfy
their contractual commitments; impact of terrorist acts; increased
competition including, but not limited to, retail choice in the electric
utility industry and the entry of new competitors; ability to carry out
marketing and sales plans; weather conditions including weather-related
damage and their effects on sales, prices and costs; cost, availability,
quality and deliverability of fuel; ability to achieve generation
planning goals and the occurrence and duration of planned and unplanned
generation outages; delays in the anticipated in-service dates and cost
increases of additional generating capacity and environmental projects;
nuclear operations; workforce risks, including retirement compensation
and benefits costs; the ability to successfully integrate KCP&L and GMO
operations and the timing and amount of resulting synergy savings; and
other risks and uncertainties. Other risk factors are detailed from time
to time in Great Plains Energy’s and KCP&L’s most recent quarterly
reports on Form 10-Q or annual reports on Form 10-K filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. This list of factors is not
all-inclusive because it is not possible to predict all factors.