If you’ve driven along I-70 between Kansas City and St. Louis anytime in the past few months, you may have seen the billboards: Or, you may have gotten flyers in your mailbox: new Evergy plans are coming. In other words, Evergy is changing the way customers in Kansas City, Missouri, pay for electricity this fall, thanks to their new time-based energy plans.
Customers must select their new plan by October — otherwise, Evergy will automatically switch you to their new “Standard Peak Saver” plan. (Which, by the way, isn’t guaranteed — or even likely — to save you money.)
Keep reading to learn more about Evergy plans, rate changes, and how it’s going to impact you.
What Is a Time-Based Energy Plan?
Time-based energy plans, also known as time-of-use (TOU) or demand-based pricing, are a type of electricity rate structure that charges customers different rates for electricity consumption based on the time of day and day of the week.
There are two important terms that Kansas City energy customers will need to know about these time-based energy plans: peak hours, and off-peak hours.
Peak Hours: These are the periods of highest electricity demand, usually during the late afternoon and early evening when people return home from work and start using appliances and electronics. During peak hours, electricity rates are higher because the demand for electricity is higher.
Off-Peak Hours: These are the times when electricity demand is lower, typically during the night and early morning hours. Rates during off-peak hours are lower to incentivize customers to shift their energy-intensive activities to these times.
Evergy will be offering the following four plans to Missouri customers:
- Standard Peak Saver – New Default: Customers will experience an increase in the per-kilowatt hour rate between 4pm-8pm on weekdays from June to September. During those times, the price will more than triple, rising from $0.09 to $0.38 per kilowatt hour. A 322% increase.
- Peak Reward Saver: Customers will still want to avoid heavy energy uses between 4pm and 8pm. But rather than this only being the case during weekdays in the summer, it’s for every day of the week. This is the plan closest to the current standard residential rate, with the lowest rate difference between time periods.
- Nights & Weekends Saver: Electricity prices will vary based on the time of day, day of the week, and the season. Three time periods with different prices, with an overnight and weekend discount.
- Nights & Weekends Max Saver: Evergy claims this is designed for people who are flexible energy users, as well as those who drive Electric Vehicles. Three time periods with different prices, with the highest difference in prices between time periods
How Evergy’s New Energy Plans Will Impact You
Hopefully, these changes aren’t coming as a surprise to you. Many KCMO residents have received official communication from Evergy — including information about your household’s energy usage and how you’ll be impacted by the rate changes.
A friend of ours recently received a letter from Evergy about the rate changes, as well as a suggestion of which plan to choose, based on his family’s energy usage. You’ll see that the Standard Peak Saver, or the default plan, was estimated to be the best choice for him.
However, he states that this will be quite an increase from his family’s current electricity bill. While the Standard Peak Saver may be the best option, it’s not going to save him any money — in fact, he’ll be paying more.
Another friend recently logged into the Evergy platform to learn about the rate changes, and based on his household’s energy usage, Evergy recommended that he select the Nights & Weekends Saver Plan.
Under the new plan, Evergy estimates that he will save $160 during the course of the year compared to his old plan. This team member already watches his electricity usage, especially in the summer, and ensures his household doesn’t use a lot of energy between peak hours. In that unique case, he will save money under the new plan.
The bottom line: under all of Evergy’s new plans, if you’re currently not monitoring your energy usage during peak hours — 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. — you’d better start. Otherwise, your electricity is going to start getting even more expensive, particularly in the summer.
Your Other Option for Saving Money on Electricity: Solar Panels
Unfortunately, the issue of rising energy prices and changes to the pricing structure to squeeze more out of electricity consumers isn’t new. Energy prices have increased 34% year-over-year, part of a long-term trend that has seen prices rise consistently over the past several decades.
But installing solar panels is one of the best ways to protect against the rising costs of electricity.
With solar panels, you can lock in the cost of your monthly energy bills. The stable monthly payments help you avoid financial surprises — and eventually, your monthly electric bill may disappear altogether.
Plus, you won’t have to be in a constant state of stress trying to remember whether running the air conditioning at any certain time is going to be something you regret next month when the electric bill shows up.
While solar panels do have an upfront cost, the pricing is much more transparent and predictable. And it typically only takes 8-10 years to see a total return on your investment. In other words, that’s how long it takes until you’ve recovered the initial money you spent on your solar panel system.
Sounds better than dealing with Evergy’s nonsense all the time — at least to us.
Ready For Consistent Energy Prices?
If you are looking for the best solar company in Kansas City, look no further than KC Solar. They are your local Kansas City solar panel installation experts. Once you schedule a no-pressure site visit, our experts will help you understand what solar system specifications would be best for your home or business.
KC Solar is a local company made up of KC natives with KC pride — in our city, and in our work. Which means we’ll always give you the best of ourselves.
And be sure to download our Free Solar Panel Buying Guide for more information.
