RATE MATTERS AND REGULATION	3 Months Ended
RATE MATTERS AND REGULATION	Mar. 31, 2023
Regulated Operations [Abstract]
RATE MATTERS AND REGULATION	RATE MATTERS AND REGULATION KCC Proceedings Evergy Kansas Central's and Evergy Metro's 2023 Rate Case Proceeding In April 2023, Evergy Kansas Central and Evergy Metro filed applications with the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) to request increases to their retail revenues of approximately $204 million and $14 million, respectively. Evergy Kansas Central's request reflects a return on equity of 10.25% (with a capital structure composed of 52% equity) and increases related to the recovery of infrastructure investments made to improve reliability and enhance customer service, the inclusion of Evergy Kansas Central's non-regulated 8% of Jeffrey Energy Center (JEC) in rate base and the management of the previously established end to a corporate-owned life insurance program. Evergy Kansas Central is also requesting, upon the closing of the transaction, the inclusion of the cost of an approximately $250 million operational wind farm located in the state of Oklahoma with a generating capacity of approximately 199 MW. The cost of this wind farm is not included in Evergy Kansas Central's approximately $204 million increase to retail revenue requested in the case but if approved by the KCC, the cost of this wind farm would result in an additional $24.4 million increase to Evergy Kansas Central's retail revenues. Evergy Metro's request reflects a return on equity of 10.25% (with a capital structure composed of 52% equity) and increases related to recovery of infrastructure investments made to improve reliability and enhance customer service. Requests for increases in retail revenues in both proceedings are partially offset by significant customer savings and cost reductions. New rates are expected to be effective in December 2023. Evergy Kansas Central 2023 Transmission Delivery Charge (TDC) In April 2023, the KCC issued an order adjusting Evergy Kansas Central's retail prices to include updated transmission costs as reflected in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) transmission formula rate (TFR). The new prices are effective in May 2023 and include the adjustments to the 2023 TFR described under "Evergy Kansas Central TFR Formal Challenge" within this Note 4. The new prices are expected to decrease Evergy Kansas Central's annual retail revenues by $22.3 million when compared to 2022. Evergy Metro 2023 TDC In April 2023, the KCC issued an order adjusting Evergy Metro's retail prices to include updated transmission costs as reflected in the FERC TFR. The new prices are effective in May 2023 and are expected to increase Evergy Metro's annual retail revenues by $4.0 million when compared to 2022. Evergy Kansas Central and Evergy Metro Earnings Review and Sharing Plan (ERSP) As part of their merger settlement agreement with the KCC, Evergy Kansas Central and Evergy Metro agreed to participate in an ERSP for the years 2019 through 2022. Under the ERSP, Evergy Kansas Central's and Evergy Metro's Kansas jurisdiction are required to refund to customers 50% of annual earnings in excess of their authorized return on equity of 9.3% to the extent the excess earnings exceed the amount of annual bill credits that Evergy Kansas Central and Evergy Metro agreed to provide in connection with the merger that resulted in the formation of Evergy. Evergy Kansas Central estimates its 2022 annual earnings did not result in a refund obligation. As of December 31, 2022, Evergy Metro estimated that its 2022 annual earnings resulted in a $16.7 million refund obligation, which was recorded in the fourth quarter of 2022. Evergy Kansas Central and Evergy Metro filed their 2022 ERSP calculations with the KCC in March 2023. As part of these filings, Evergy Metro filed for a lower refund obligation for 2022 of approximately $6 million (compared with its $16.7 million refund obligation estimate) as a result of certain intercompany billings to Evergy Kansas Central. The final refund obligations for 2022 will be decided by the KCC and could vary from the current estimates. MPSC Proceedings Evergy Missouri West February 2021 Winter Weather Event Securitization In February 2021, much of the central and southern United States, including the service territories of the Evergy Companies, experienced a significant winter weather event that resulted in extremely cold temperatures over a multi-day period (February 2021 winter weather event). In November 2022, the MPSC issued a revised financing order authorizing Evergy Missouri West to issue securitized bonds to recover its extraordinary fuel and purchased power costs incurred as part of the February 2021 winter weather event. As part of the order, the MPSC found that Evergy Missouri West's costs were prudently incurred, that it should only be allowed to recover 95% of its extraordinary fuel and purchased power costs consistent with the 5% sharing provision of its fuel recovery mechanism, that it should be allowed to recover carrying costs incurred since February 2021 at Evergy Missouri West's long-term debt rate of 5.06% and approved a 15 year repayment period for the bonds with a 17 year legal maturity. As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the value of Evergy Missouri West's February 2021 winter weather event regulatory asset was $313.0 million and $309.0 million, respectively. Evergy Missouri West will continue to record carrying charges on its February 2021 winter weather event regulatory asset until it issues the securitized bonds. In January 2023, the Office of the Public Counsel (OPC) filed an appeal with the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District, challenging the financing order regarding the treatment of income tax deductions, carrying costs and discount rates related to the financing of the extraordinary fuel and purchased power costs incurred as part of the February 2021 winter weather event. A final nonappealable financing order is required prior to the issuance of securitized bonds. A decision by the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District, is currently expected in the second half of 2023, though the timeline for the decision is uncertain. FERC Proceedings In October of each year, Evergy Kansas Central and Evergy Metro post an updated TFR that includes projected transmission capital expenditures and operating costs for the following year. This rate is the most significant component in the retail rate calculation for Evergy Kansas Central's and Evergy Metro's annual request with the KCC to adjust retail prices to include updated transmission costs through the TDC. Evergy Kansas Central TFR Annual Update In the most recent two years, the updated TFR was expected to adjust Evergy Kansas Central's annual transmission revenues by approximately: •$21.7 million decrease effective in March 2023; and •$33.2 million increase effective in January 2022. See "Evergy Kansas Central TFR Formal Challenge" within this Note 4 for more information regarding the March 2023 adjustment. Evergy Kansas Central TFR Formal Challenge In March 2022, certain Evergy Kansas Central TFR customers submitted a formal challenge regarding the implementation of Evergy Kansas Central's TFR, specifically with regards to how Evergy Kansas Central's capital structure was calculated as part of determining the Annual Transmission Revenue Requirement (ATRR). As part of this challenge, the customers requested that Evergy Kansas Central make refunds for over-collections in rate years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 as a result of the calculation of its capital structure included in the TFR. Evergy Kansas Central disputed that any refunds for 2018 - 2022 were required as Evergy Kansas Central was following its approved TFR formula. In December 2022, FERC issued an order upholding in part, and denying in part, the formal challenge of Evergy Kansas Central's TFR by certain customers. As a result of this order, Evergy and Evergy Kansas Central recorded a $32.8 million regulatory liability on their consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2022 for the estimated refund of TFR revenue over-collections related to the calculation of Evergy Kansas Central's capital structure for rate years 2018 - 2022. In March 2023, Evergy Kansas Central refiled its annual update to include the refund of the 2020, 2021 and 2022 over-collections as part of its 2023 TFR effective in March 2023. In February 2023, certain Evergy Kansas Central TFR customers submitted a formal challenge requesting the refund of over-collections related to the 2018 and 2019 over-collections. A decision from FERC regarding this challenge is expected later in 2023. Evergy Metro TFR Annual Update In the most recent two years, the updated TFR was expected to adjust Evergy Metro's annual transmission revenues by approximately: •$8.6 million increase effective in January 2023; and •$18.1 million increase effective in January 2022.