<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2018-06-04</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001143068</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>GREAT PLAINS ENERGY INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>GXP</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001193467</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SHERMAN JOHN J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O GREAT PLAINS ENERGY INCORPORATED</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1200 MAIN STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>KANSAS CITY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MO</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>64105</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-06-04</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>61604</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Disposed of pursuant to that certain Amended and Restated Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of July 9, 2017 by and among Great Plains Energy Incorporated (&quot;Great Plains Energy&quot;), Westar Energy, Inc., Evergy, Inc. (&quot;Evergy&quot;) (formerly Monarch Energy Holding, Inc.), King Energy, Inc., and for certain limited purposes, GP Star, Inc. in exchange for shares of Evergy common stock at an exchange ratio of 0.5981 for each Great Plains Energy share on the effective date of the merger.  On the effective date of the merger, the closing price of Great Plains Energy's common stock was $31.99 per share, and Evergy's common stock had not yet commenced trading on the New York Stock Exchange.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Executed on behalf of John J. Sherman by Jaileah X. Huddleston, attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2018-06-05</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
