Shareholders on Tuesday OK'd a new plan for the merger between two of the region’s largest power companies: Great Plains Energy (the parent company of Kansas City Power & Light) and Westar Energy. Meanwhile, Kansas regulators set a timeline for giving their approval to this latest deal.
The Kansas Corporation Commission can take up to 300 days from when the merger application was submitted in August, but the regulators are planning to issue their final decision on the merger slightly sooner, on June 5.
Westar spokeswoman Gina Penzig says the company had asked for a shorter timeline.
“You know, we understand that this is a lot of information to go through," she says. "It’s a very important decision, so we’re happy to meet whatever schedule the KCC deems necessary.”
The KCC’s review includes a public hearing in January and a week-long evidentiary hearing in March, both in Topeka. The regulators rejected the previous merger application earlier this year.
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Coverage of energy and the environment is made possible in part by ITC Great Plains and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
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Coverage of energy and the environment is made possible in part by ITC Great Plains and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.