Evergy, Inc. is an investor-owned utility formed by the merger of Westar Energy and Great Plains Energy. Headquartered in Topeka, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri, it's the largest electric company in Kansas, serving over 1.7 million customers across Kansas and Missouri. With a generating capacity of 16,000 megawatts from over 40 power plants, Evergy's service territory spans 28,130 square miles. The company owns extensive transmission (over 10,100 miles) and distribution (approximately 52,000 miles) lines.
On May 14, 1900, J. Ogden Armour, heir to the Armour Packing Company, purchased the Edison Electric Light & Power Company to power the Metropolitan Street Railway Company and Kansas City Electric Light Company.
In 1903, the company built a new power plant, providing steam heat to downtown businesses.
In 1909, Kansas Gas and Electric (KG&E) was founded when the American Power and Light Company took over electric companies in Wichita, Pittsburg and Frontenac.
In 1911, the company focused on the trolley company and went into receivership.
In October 1917, the company spun off the trolley business and emerged from bankruptcy as Kansas City Light & Power Company. The company also began construction on the Northeast Power station in 1917.
In June 1919, the company reincorporated again, as Kansas City Power and Light Company.
On July 29, 1922, the company acquired the Carroll County Electric Company.
In 1923, Armour sold his interest.
In 1924, Continental Gas & Electric Corporation purchased the controlling interest.
In 1924, Kansas Power and Light (KPL) was founded and expanded across northeastern Kansas.
In 1948, construction of the Hawthorn Station started.
In 1950, Kansas City Power became independent, and United Light and Power dissolved.
In 1951, the first unit of the Hawthorn Station was completed.
In 1952, Kansas City Power acquired Eastern Kansas Utilities.
By 1956, the Hawthorn Station was fully operational.
In 1992, KPL merged with KG&E to become Western Resources, with KPL and KG&E as operating companies.
In 1992, Western Resources was formed through the merger of Kansas Gas and Electric (KG&E) of Wichita and Kansas Power and Light (KPL) of Topeka.
In 1996, Western Resources sold its natural gas business to ONEOK as Kansas Gas Service and acquired a 45 percent stake in ONEOK.
In 1997, Western Resources restated its consolidated financial statements related to the Westinghouse Security Systems (WSS) acquisition.
In 1998, Western Resources restated its consolidated financial statements related to the Westinghouse Security Systems (WSS) acquisition.
In 1999, Western Resources restated its consolidated financial statements related to the Westinghouse Security Systems (WSS) acquisition.
In 2000, Western Resources restated its consolidated financial statements related to the Westinghouse Security Systems (WSS) acquisition.
On October 1, 2001, Great Plains Energy Incorporated was established in Kansas City, Missouri. It owned electric utility Kansas City Power and Light Company and Strategic Energy, LLC.
On November 1, 2002, Westar Energy announced the restating of results for its first and second quarter, to account for additional impairment at its Protection One Inc. (POI) unit.
In 2002, Western Resources officially changed its name to Westar Energy, and all of its subsidiaries began doing business under that name.
On January 14, 2003, Westar Energy Inc was charged for transactions involving power sales from one Cleco Corporation affiliate to Westar and then back to another or the same Cleco affiliate, and paid $30,000,000 for the settlement.
In 2003, Westar Energy restated its 2003 annual financial results, after realizing that it might have understated its cash flow from operations for the year.
In 2003, Western Resources sold its 45 percent stake in ONEOK.
On March 25, 2004, Westar Energy restated its 2003 annual financial results, after realizing that it might have understated its cash flow from operations for the year.
In July 2008, Great Plains Energy acquired Aquila, Inc.
In 2014, Great Plains Energy ranked number 855 on the Fortune 1000 list.
In 2016, Great Plains Energy and Westar announced merger plans, but this proposed merger was rejected by Kansas Corporation Commission utility regulators.
In 2017, a new merger plan between Great Plains Energy and Westar was announced.
As of May 24, 2018, the merger between Great Plains Energy and Westar was approved by both the Missouri Public Service Commission and the Kansas Corporation Commission. The combined company was named Evergy, with KCP&L and Westar becoming the two operating companies of Evergy.
In May 2019, Forbes named Evergy as one of America's "Best Top 500 Employers".
On October 7, 2019, the Westar and KCP&L brands were retired, and the company adopted the Evergy brand across its entire service territory.
In 2019, Evergy was named one of the "Healthiest 100 Workplaces in America" by Springbuk.
On December 28, 2022, the company switched its stock exchange listing to the Nasdaq Global Select Market.
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