<?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>0001617486</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Grimes Scott D.</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>1318</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>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Director Deferred Share Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-06-04</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>11970</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>11970</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Disposed of pursuant to that certain Amended and Restated Agreement and Plan of Merger (&quot;Merger Agreement&quot;) 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>
        <footnote id="F2">Director Deferred Share units are granted under the Long-Term Incentive Plan. Each unit represents the right to receive one share of Great Plains Energy Common Stock, plus stock reflecting reinvested dividends. Units are converted to stock and distributed following termination of service on the Board pursuant to elections made by the reporting person.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The Great Plains Energy Director Deferred Share units were exchanged for Evergy Director Deferred Share units pursuant to the Merger Agreement at an exchange ratio of 0.5981 for each Great Plains Energy share.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

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