Evergy says data centers won’t raise your rates. Here’s how that works
Evergy says new large-load electricity tariffs are designed to make data centers and other high-demand customers pay their share of grid costs rather than shifting expenses to residential customers. The article also details local data center disputes in Independence and Gardner, Missouri, including restrictions adopted by Independence and the withdrawal of Beale Infrastructure’s Gardner proposal after resident opposition.
Evergy’s new tariffs apply to customers using more than 75 megawatts, including data centers, and are intended to protect residential and small-business customers from costs associated with major new electricity demand. Kansas Corporation Commission staff estimated that qualifying customers will pay 7% to 10% more than existing industrial customers. Kansas regulators approved Evergy’s plan in November 2025, while Missouri lawmakers required the Missouri Public Service Commission to adopt comparable protections.
The policies do not apply to public, city-owned utilities such as those serving Independence and Gardner. Independence approved tax incentives for a Nebius data center and later adopted new restrictions on future projects, including setbacks and limits on generator testing, though those rules do not apply retroactively to Nebius. In Gardner, Beale Infrastructure withdrew its proposed data center application after hundreds of residents opposed the project, and the city declined to offer incentives.