Wichita, for example, last year argued that savings from the proposed merger between Western and Kansas City Power and Light should go toward lowering KGE rates. But Ms. Wagnon objected, and the merger ultimately collapsed. KPL customers also often hear that they don't benefit from the Wolf Creek nuclear plant, the construction costs of which are the main reason for KGE's higher rates. Again, not so. KPL and KGE operate as a single, integrated unit.
Power is shared, regardless of where it's generated.
Wolf Creek also enables KPL to meet its reserve requirement in the southwest power pool, said Walker Hendrix, chief counsel of the Citizens Utility Ratepayers Board in Topeka. In essence, those low rates are keeping KPL customers from paying for an additional plant to meet their reserve requirements in the power pool. Thus, KGE customers are, in effect, subsidizing KPL's lower rates. Wichitans can sympathize with KPL customers not wanting higher rates. But our quest for rate parity is not about messing with Topeka ratepayers.