HB 2527 made it through the House and will be heard by the Senate on Monday March 18, 2024.

HEARING: MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2024, 1:30 PM ROOM 548-S

TO SUBMIT TESTIMONY OR CONTACT THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS GO HERE:

This Bill at the request of  Evergy is a gift to Evergy and has so many loose ends that have not been addressed in the revisers notes.  Starting with deductions, recouping depreciation, dictating who will receive Economic Development Incentives in the way of discounted electricity, and given authority to establish new procedures in rate cases that leaves KCC and  the Kansas Utility Rate Board under the guidelines established by Evergy.  Costs that were not allowed in Rate Hearings would now be considered and the KCC has no power to intervene in the proceedings.

Evergy would have the authority to determine new power production if built and recoup construction cost in the form of allowable taxiing procedures which will end up on the backs of ratepayers.  Oh, Don’t forget the decommissioning cost of old plants and loan programs that were previously set up during the merger of West Star and KCPL..

There is a lot of untransparent language and ambiguous words that will probably be exposed down the road and there are so many power struggles between KCC, SPP, & KS Energy producers playing out at this moment  to move too fast.

Things to remember about Evergy that have surfaced in the last two years are:

• Evergy was formed to eliminate duplicate services and are a necessary monopoly with protected territories that Kansas Regulators gave the
• Evergy is run by a Board of Stockholders that are not Kansans run by controlling stockholders like BlackRock & VanGuard.  (These Hedge Funds also control Spirit, Boeing, Nextera (NEET who also receive those Electric Rate Deals) Those cost are recouped on the backs of  ratepayers.
• Evergy Controls the Wolf Creek Nuclear Plant which is operating at below 48% capacity (inefficiency will age the life expectancy) and causing utility rates to remain high.
• Evergy is a Zero Carbon Company and as Intermittent Renewables go online, Kansas will lose Base Load Power Producing Plants that deliver Affordable Reliable Electric as stipulated in the SPP’s Plan.  There is no guarantee that this bill will accelerate retirement.
• Evergy is orchestrating  and facilitating some questionable actions with their Service Area and the Kansas Electrical COOPs in Kansas. Swapping Service area with COOPS allows the COOPS to submit to the KCC Applications to become a Utility of Kansas with Eminent Domain power.  WHY? Renewable Energy will require land and landowners are facing 1.8 Million Acres of Farm Ground in 63 County’s being at Risk to accommodate Industrial Solar Wind  Battery.  Abatements of these solar fields will cause other taxpayers to burden the cost and County Commissioners are being taxed with decisions that have consequences for all.
• Evergy is a MO based Corporation and delivers Power to the SPP allowing them to direct the power to wherever and to whom they deem recipient.  A Market based commodity that Kansas Customers may find themselves last inline as in the situation with Storm Uri where Power was shipped to Texas leaving Kansas and Missouri in the Dark with big Bills.

I am asking you to call your Senator or the Senate Committee members and  Kill this Bill in Committee.  SCHEDULE

We appreciate the time you  have taken to stay informed and engaged.  We will respond as quickly as possible and hope we see you along the way.  Leave a detailed message or a phone number or visit us at www.stand4thelandkansas.com  Hope to see you on the trail and remember:  Your voice matters!

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SB 312 Would Have REQUIRE Cases of Eminent Domain would begin at the Local Level of County Commissioners before LandOwners started racking up Legal Fees to Battle for their Land Rights. Starting a process at a local level is where better decisions are made for Landowners, not Special Interest Profits. Sb312 was not worked by the committee on the final deadline day to get a bill out of Committee, but on the Floor of the Senate, SB312 reared it’s head as an amendment from the floor to be attached to the HB2225 Nextera Bill. Thank you Sen. Tim Shallenberger for a valiant attempt to amend from the floor and the exciting scuttle for leadership to quickly rule it non-germaine was an extra treat. See the video Here:

Late in the Session, SB312 was a Hail Mary for SEKS Landowners that find themselves entangled with a Global Carbon Zero Company, Nextera Transmission, who was given the power of Eminent Domain in 2022 by the Kansas Corporation commission. The hearing held by the Senate Local Government Committee on March 23 was a BIG ATTRACTION for the 50 plus Lobbyist representing interest in taking your land. Testimony was limited to 2 minutes, which is quite a feat for landowners to cram in 18 months of living @@@ to talk about their experience.

Catch the Hearing here: The highlights for observers to walk away with was the toxic enviroment that has been created for Freedom, Individual Rights, and plain old Common Sense. Thank all those that submitted testimony to support SB312, especially those that appeared in person, Marci Laffner, Andover, Rochelle Smart, Garnett, Dean Davied, Girard, Farm Bureau, Kansas Livestock Association, and Representative Carrie Barth.

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2023 will go down in Kansas History as the worse Legislative Session when Utilities and Rates are concerned. SB68 is still alive in the Senate, but their is no appetite to bring the ROFR Bill to the Floor. The full court press on legislators by the Utility Lobby is at Fever Pitch with the Capital being ran much like a Detention Center centered around one subject, GREEN ENERGY EXPANSION.

SB 166 has not had a Hearing on the Senate Floor as of yet and it is still possible to kick this Bill out to the Floor for debate. Transparency Bill are generally easy to support for most members, but with the Utility Companies & an Army of Lobbyist scouring the Halls of the Capital, it has become a issue.

Lets turn up the Heat and dial the phones!