WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - Advocates are pressing Kansas’ largest electric utility on whether its plan to generate more renewable energy and cut greenhouse gas emissions is aggressive enough.
Evergy faced more than six hours of questions about its plan during a Kansas Corporation Commission hearing last week, The Wichita Eagle reports. The company plans to collect feedback from the commission, which regulates utilities in Kansas, and others and submit a revised renewable energy plan in May.
Evergy’s plan calls for a total of $8.9 billion in investments in Kansas and Missouri to upgrade its grid, fix aging infrastructure and move to renewable energy, such as solar and wind energy. Of that, $3.5 billion would be spent over the next five years on modernizing the company’s grid in Kansas, though Evergy could not answer how much of the grid would be upgraded.
Evergy says its main goal is to cut net fuel and operating costs by 25% and pass the savings to consumers so the state’s electric rates will be more competitive. The company said it would cut carbon dioxide emissions by 85% by 2030.
But the company is getting some pushback from clean energy advocates because President-elect Joe Biden is promising 100% clean energy by 2035.
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