28 June 2023
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A new rate plan by Evergy will soon change how Missouri residents are charged for electricity.
Starting in October, Evergy will be rolling out a series of new time-based rate plans that adjusts the price you pay for electricity based on the time of day its used.
Evergy said all Missouri customers will be impacted by this change and will need to enroll in one of four time-based rate plans. Check out the list below to see which plan will fit your needs best.
“The Missouri Public Service Commission regulates utilities in Missouri,” Kelli Kolich with Evergy said. “They mandated last year that we switch to time based rates for all of our customers by the end of this year.”
Standard Peak Saver
Under this standard plan, customers will be charged a higher per-kilowatt hour rate from 4-8 p.m. on weekdays from June until September.
According to Evergy’s website, during the summer months from 4-8 p.m. the price of electricity will spike from $0.09 to $0.38 per kilowatt hour (kWh).
Peak Reward Saver
Under this plan, the price you pay will change based on the amount of energy used and the season.
The plan establishes pricing tiers based on the time of the year, with rates increasing in the summer months and decreasing in the winter months.
The three-tier pricing plan is based on usage ranging from 600 kWh to more than 1,000 kWh used each month. Once a customer has completely used the energy allotment in one tier, the price changes to the next tier rate.
“I think for a lot of people it would be kind of difficult because people are at work all day and then they come home to do all of those things, laundry, dishes,” Raytown resident Christiana McRoberts said. “So, for a lot of people it would increase their bill.”
According to Evergy’s website, pricing during the summer months begins at $0.14 per kWh for the first 1000 kilowatt hours used each month. After the initial 1000 kWh have been used, the price increases to $0.15 per kWh.
During the winter months, Evergy will charge $0.12 for the first 600 kWh hours used. The price then drops to $0.07 per kWh for the next 400 kWh hours used. The price decreases again to a rate of $0.06 per kWh for the next 1,00 kWh hours used.
Customers will receive either a credit or an extra charge on their bill based on when they use electricity. A 1 cent credit will be applied for each kilowatt hour of energy used between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. An extra 1 cent charge will be applied per kilowatt hour for any energy used from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Nights and Weekends Saver
Under this plan, electricity prices will vary based on time of the day, day of the week and by season. Evergy will charge a higher per-kilowatt rate during peak energy usage times on weekdays between 4-8 p.m. and a lower rate during “Saver” and “Super Saver” time slots.
During peak energy usage times, Evergy customers will be charged $0.33 per kWh in the summer months and $0.27 per kWh in the winter months.
Evergy has established “Saver” times as 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. Monday-Friday and 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. on the weekends. According to Evergy’s website, “Super Saver” times are daily between midnight and 6 a.m.
During the summer prices drop to $0.11 per kWh during “Saver” times and $0.05 per kWh during “Super Saver” times. In the winter months, customers will be charged $0.10 per kWh during “Saver” times and $0.04 per kWh during “Super Saver” times.
Nights and Weekends Max Saver
Under the Nights and Weekends Max Saver plan, customers will see higher energy prices between 4-8 p.m. with a $0.35 per kWh charge during the summer months and a $0.27 per kWh charge in the winter.
In the summer months, prices decrease to $0.11 per kWh during “Saver” times and $0.02 per kWh during “Super Saver” times. During the winter months, customers will pay $0.09 per kWh during “Saver” times and $0.02 per kWh during “Super Saver” times.
Kolich said, you’ll pay more during peak hours of usage and less at other times.
“Seventy percent of the folks transitioning to the standard peak default rate – they’re still going to see a savings on their bill,” Kolich said. “Customers have an opportunity to save more or to mitigate an increase that they may see, by choosing the rate that works best for them.”
“So, customers just need to be conscientious during those peak hours if they’re looking to find additional savings on their bill,” Kolich said.
If you are unsure which plan will be the best fit for you, you can use Evergy’s Rate Comparison Tool to calculate potential charges based on your past energy usage.
Customers who do not select a new time-based rate plan before October will automatically be enrolled in the Standard Peak Saver plan. According to Evergy’s website, the change is expected to go into effect on Oct. 1.
In August, Kolich said customers will receive details about their energy usages and which plan may work best for them.
Evergy customers in Kansas do not need to choose a new plan.