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What will the substation look like?
The substation will be surrounded by a nine foot stonecast wall on the eastern side and a seven foot tall chainlink fence with tight woven fabric plus three strands of barbed wire for a total height of eight feet on the remaining sides. The substation will also feature security lighting that will be automated to be turned on and off as needed. The poles within the substation will be steel and an average of 80 feet tall. Other substation equipment will be approximately 23 feet tall. Substation transformers emit some noise, but the distance between the substation to surrounding areas and updated technology will substantially mitigate it.

How will the substation be accessed?
A permanent access road will be built from 15th Street to the substation.

Who will maintain the substation?
Evergy will maintain the new substation, including landscaping inside and directly outside the stone wall. We will perform preventative maintenance at the substation once a month during normal business hours and will access the substation for equipment upgrades or unplanned maintenance as needed.

How will I know it is authorized personnel at the substation?
Evergy employees utilize personal protection equipment, including hard hats, safety vests and safety glasses, when working in or around substations. All Evergy employees carry company identification. Most employees performing maintenance will be in marked Evergy vehicles. If you notice suspicious activity at the substation, please contact local law enforcement immediately.

What will be the impact on vegetation in the area?
Some trees and vegetation will be trimmed or removed for the safe construction and operations of the new substation and transmission line.The new transmission line will come out of on the west side of the substation and be directed south to follow the treeline. The new line will need approximately 50 feet of clearance on both sides of the centerline and vegetation will be removed as needed. A few trees will be removed for substation construction. Additional trees and landscaping will also be planted around the substation site.

How were the substation site and transmission line route chosen?
The existing substations on Arrington Road and 133rd Street and Frontage Road, are nearing the end of their service lives. The new substation site was chosen because it’s close to an existing transmission line and each of the substations that will be removed, meaning that it will be easier to transfer the existing distribution circuits. There is also enough distance between residences and businesses at this site to limit disturbance to the surrounding area.

To connect the substation to the broader power grid, a short section of new transmission line will be built to connect to an existing line in the area. Potential routes for the transmission line were developed with the intent to minimize adverse impacts to residents, their land and the natural environment, while providing a technically viable and cost-effective route. We consider the impact on trees and vegetation when routing and designing our infrastructure, but regardless of which route was chosen, some trees and vegetation in the area would be trimmed or removed.

How will property owners be impacted by construction?
We will work with property owners to address concerns and discuss what to expect from our construction efforts and restoration practices.

What will happen to the two existing substations that will no longer be in service?
Once the 15th Street substation is in-service, Evergy will begin to decommission the sites. During that process, Evergy will remove existing infrastructure at the substations and have an environmental study conducted. Once this process is complete, Evergy will review what can be done with the site, including maintaining and mowing the property or the possible sale of the property.

How was property acquired for the project?
We are committed to transparent and timely communications with landowners. We will contact landowners who have property on the transmission line route to discuss the project and will purchase easements necessary to build the line. One-time payments will be provided based on the determination of market property values in the local area. We will also discuss what to expect from our construction efforts and restoration practices.

Will there be any restrictions on the use of my property?
Our easements allow property owners to continue most uses of their property, including planting crops, pasture and roadways. The existence of a transmission line easement does restrict some possible uses for property, including limiting the amount of allowed grade change, restricting buildings or structures within the easement area and restrictions on planting trees that may grow into the power lines.

What are the existing easement rights?
For Evergy’s projects, the easement permits surveys, construction, operation and maintenance of distribution and transmission lines and other equipment. The easement also permits ingress and egress to the easement and permits the trimming and removal of trees, on or adjoining the easement, that may interfere with the safe and reliable operation of the power lines.

Why are the new easements larger than existing easements?
To meet modern standards for reliability and safety, a wider easement is required to accommodate the area in which the line will blow or sway between poles.

Why are access rights needed on all properties?
This is a continuation of our existing rights. Once the line is constructed, our use of the provision will look like our past practices. We need access rights for equipment repairs, maintenance or to restore power during an outage. Since the new line will be built to modern standards, our need to access it may be less frequent. An Evergy project representative will communicate with property owners to discuss and compensate for any damage caused by maintenance.

Are the easements maintained by Evergy?
We strive to be good neighbors and stewards of the communities we serve. We repair and maintain the power equipment within the easement. We also keep vegetation trimmed away from the power equipment within the easement. If there is an issue, please contact us and we will do our best to resolve it. While negotiating with landowners, we may provide for landscaping or fences, but it is the responsibility of the landowners to maintain that property.

How will you communicate with property owners affected by the project?
We hosted an informational open house before construction began. Evergy real estate project representatives will be available for the duration of the project to provide information, answer questions or address property owners’ concerns. They can be reached by email at grandview@evergy.com.

Who will benefit from the project?
This project will benefit residents and businesses in Grandview, Missouri, southern Kansas City and beyond by strengthening the regional power grid and enhancing reliability. It also will provide tax revenue, construction jobs, local expenditures and will expand capabilities for future investment in area business and industry.

Who is responsible for this project?
Evergy will construct and own the new substation and transmission lines. The Southwest Power Pool (SPP) operates the transmission system in the region for this transmission line. SPP will direct Evergy to operate the new transmission line.

Who will build the lines and manage the construction?
Evergy will design and construct the transmission line using both Evergy resources and subcontractors depending on the task. Evergy will provide project management services and coordination during construction of the project.

What environmental impacts will be considered with the siting of the project?
Evergy believes the environment is an important factor when planning and designing transmission line projects. We work closely with appropriate organizations, including the Missouri Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, Missouri Historical Society, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Nature Conservancy from the beginning of projects to make sure any direct environmental impact is appropriately identified and addressed. We believe this kind of collaboration leads to developing a transmission line route that aligns with federal and state energy and environmental policy objectives. We adhere to all state and federal regulations to protect native plants, threatened or endangered species, wetlands and water and air quality.

Regulatory and Government Policy

Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) regulates and has the responsibility of ensuring electric utilities provide safe, adequate and reliable services at reasonable rates. The mission of the KCC is to protect the public interest through impartial and efficient resolution of all jurisdictional issues.

Southwest Power Pool (SPP) is a Regional Transmission Organization (RTO), mandated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to ensure reliable supplies of power, adequate transmission infrastructure and competitive wholesale prices of electricity. SPP operates subject to a tariff filed with and governed by FERC. This tariff contains over 2,100 pages of rates, terms and conditions for providing transmission service to SPP’s customers to move wholesale electric power within and across SPP’s 17-state footprint.

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regulates the transmission and wholesale sales of electricity in interstate commerce and ensures the reliability of high-voltage interstate transmission systems.

Evergy, Inc. (Evergy) (NYSE: EVRG) serves approximately 1.6 million customers in Kansas and Missouri. We generate nearly half the power we provide to homes and businesses with emission-free sources. We support our local communities where we live and work, and strive to meet the needs of customers through energy savings and innovative solutions.