COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2020

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Environmental Matters

Set forth below are descriptions of contingencies related to environmental matters that may impact the Evergy Companies' operations or their financial results. Management's assessment of these contingencies, which are based on federal and state statutes and regulations, and regulatory agency and judicial interpretations and actions, has evolved over time. These laws and regulations can also change, restrict or otherwise impact the Evergy Companies' operations or financial results in many ways, including the handling or disposal of waste material and the planning for future construction activities. The failure to comply with these laws and regulations could result in the assessment of administrative, civil and criminal penalties and/or the imposition of remedial requirements. The Evergy Companies believe that all of their operations are in substantial compliance with current federal, state and local environmental standards.

There are a variety of final and proposed laws and regulations that could have a material adverse effect on the Evergy Companies' operations and consolidated financial results. Due in part to the complex nature of environmental laws and regulations, the Evergy Companies are unable to assess the impact of potential changes that may develop with respect to the environmental contingencies described below.

Cross-State Air Pollution Update Rule

In September 2016, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized the Cross-State Air Pollution (CSAPR) Update Rule. The final rule addresses interstate transport of nitrogen oxides emissions in 22 states including Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma during the ozone season and the impact from the formation of ozone on downwind states with respect to the 2008 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). In December 2018, the EPA finalized a determination, known as the CSAPR Close-Out Rule, demonstrating the CSAPR Update Rule fully addressed certain upwind states' 2008 ozone NAAQS interstate transport obligations. Various states and others have challenged both the CSAPR Update Rule and the CSAPR Close-Out Rule in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (D.C. Circuit). In the fourth quarter of 2019, the D.C. Circuit granted these petitions and remanded a portion of the CSAPR Update Rule back to the EPA and vacated the CSAPR Close-Out Rule in its entirety. The impact of any future CSAPR Rules on the Evergy Companies' operations or consolidated financial results cannot be determined and could be material.

Greenhouse Gases

Burning coal and other fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other gases referred to as greenhouse gases (GHG).  Various regulations under the federal Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAA) limit CO₂ and other GHG emissions, and in addition, other measures are being imposed or offered by individual states, municipalities and regional agreements with the goal of reducing GHG emissions.

In August 2018, the EPA published in the Federal Register proposed regulations, which contained (1) emission guidelines for GHG emissions from existing electric utility generating units (EGUs), (2) revisions to emission guideline implementing regulations and (3) revisions to the new source review (NSR) program. These emission guidelines are better known as the Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) Rule. In July 2019, the EPA published in the Federal Register the final ACE Rule with one significant change from the proposal. The NSR program revisions were not included in the final version of the ACE Rule and are expected to be addressed in a future rulemaking. The ACE Rule establishes emission guidelines for states to use in the development of plans to reduce GHG emissions from existing coal-fired EGUs. This rule defines the "best system of emission reduction" (BSER) for GHG emissions from existing coal-fired EGUs as on-site, heat-rate efficiency improvements. The final rule also provides states with a list of candidate technologies that can be used to establish standards of performance and incorporate these performance standards into state plans. In order for the states to be able to effectively implement the emission guidelines contained in the ACE Rule, the EPA is finalizing new regulations under Section 111(d) of the CAA to help clarify this process. The ACE Rule became effective in September 2019. In conjunction with the finalization of the ACE Rule, the EPA repealed its previously adopted Clean Power Plan (CPP). Also, in September 2019, the D.C. Circuit granted motions to dismiss challenges to the CPP and challenges to EPA's denial of reconsideration of the CPP.

Due to uncertainty regarding what future state implementation plans will require for compliance with the ACE Rule as well as legal challenges that have been filed, the Evergy Companies cannot determine the impact of the rule on their operations or consolidated financial results, but the cost to comply with the ACE Rule, should it be upheld and implemented in its current or a substantially similar form, could be material.

Water    

The Evergy Companies discharge some of the water used in generation and other operations containing substances deemed to be pollutants. A November 2015 EPA rule establishes effluent limitations guidelines (ELG) and standards for wastewater discharges, including limits on the amount of toxic metals and other pollutants that can be discharged. Implementation timelines for this 2015 rule vary from 2018 to 2023. In April 2019, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit (5th Circuit) issued a ruling that vacates and remands portions of the original ELG rule. Due to this ruling, future ELG modifications for the best available technology economically achievable for the discharge of legacy wastewater and leachate are likely.

In November 2019, the EPA published a proposed modification to the ELG rule. The proposed rule modifies numeric limits for flue gas desulfurization (FGD) wastewater and added a 10% volumetric purge limit for bottom ash transport water. The timeline for final FGD wastewater compliance was also delayed by two years to December 31, 2025. The Evergy Companies are in the process of reviewing the proposed rule and the costs to comply with these changes could be material.

In October 2014, the EPA's final standards for cooling water intake structures at power plants to protect aquatic life took effect. The standards, based on Section 316(b) of the federal Clean Water Act (CWA), require subject facilities to choose among seven best available technology options to reduce fish impingement. In addition, some facilities must conduct studies to assist permitting authorities to determine whether and what site-specific controls, if any, would be required to reduce entrainment of aquatic organisms. The Evergy Companies' current analysis indicates this rule will not have a significant impact on their coal plants that employ cooling towers or cooling lakes that can be classified as closed cycle cooling and do not expect the impact from this rule to be material. Plants without closed cycle cooling are under evaluation for compliance with these standards and may require additional controls, the costs of which could be material.

Evergy Metro holds a permit from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) covering water discharge from its Hawthorn Station.  The permit authorizes Evergy Metro to, among other things, withdraw water from the Missouri River for cooling purposes and return the heated water to the Missouri River.  Evergy Metro has applied for a renewal of this permit and the EPA has submitted an interim objection letter regarding the allowable amount of heat that can be contained in the returned water.  Until this matter is resolved, Evergy Metro continues to operate under its current permit. Evergy and Evergy Metro cannot predict the outcome of this matter; however, while less significant outcomes are possible, this matter may require a reduction in generation, installation of cooling towers or other technology to cool the water, or both, any of which could have a material impact on Evergy's and Evergy Metro's operations and consolidated financial results.  

In April 2020, the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana (District Court of Montana) ruled that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (Corps) reissuance of Nationwide Permit 12 (NWP 12) in 2017 violated the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The District Court of Montana determined that the Corps failed to initiate consultation under ESA to ensure that discharge activities under NWP 12 complied with the ESA. As a result, the District Court of Montana remanded NWP 12 to the Corps, vacated NWP 12 pending completion of the ESA consultation process and enjoined the Corps from authorizing any dredge or fill activities under NWP 12. The Evergy Companies utilize NWP 12 in the regulatory approval of various types of projects and the ruling and resulting actions of the Corps could have a material impact on the Evergy Companies' operations and consolidated financial results. In May 2020, the District Court of Montana amended the previous ruling such that the vacatur only applies to new oil and gas pipelines and that NWP 12 remains in place for non-pipeline activities, which would include activities performed by the Evergy Companies. The Corps followed that action with a request to the U.S. Supreme Court (Supreme Court) to stay the District Court of Montana's order.  In July 2020, the Supreme Court granted in part and denied in part the Corps' request to stay.  The Supreme Court ruled that the request was granted and the order stayed except as it applies to the Keystone XL pipeline.  As such, the original NWP 12 ruling would no longer apply to the Evergy Companies' activities and it is not believed that the ruling will have a material impact on the Evergy Companies’ operations and consolidated financial results.   

Regulation of Coal Combustion Residuals

In the course of operating their coal generation plants, the Evergy Companies produce coal combustion residuals (CCRs), including fly ash, gypsum and bottom ash. The EPA published a rule to regulate CCRs in April 2015, that requires additional CCR handling, processing and storage equipment and closure of certain ash disposal units.

In March 2019, the D.C. Circuit issued a ruling to grant the EPA's request to remand the Phase I, Part I CCR rule in response to a prior court ruling requiring the EPA to address un-lined surface impoundment closure requirements. In July 2020, the EPA issued a pre-publication version of the Part A CCR Rule. This proposal reclassified clay-lined surface impoundments from "lined" to "un-lined" and established a deadline of April 11, 2021 to initiate closure. The prior rule included a deadline of October 31, 2020 for unlined impoundments to initiate closure. In March 2020, the EPA published a proposed rule called the Part B CCR Rule. This proposal includes a process to allow unlined impoundments to continue to operate if a demonstration is made to prove that the unlined impoundments are not adversely impacting groundwater, human health or the environment. The proposal also includes clarification regarding ash used in the closure of landfills and surface impoundments. The Evergy Companies are in the process of reviewing the Part A and Part B CCR rules and the costs to comply with these changes could be material.

The Evergy Companies have recorded asset retirement obligations (AROs) for their current estimates for the closure of ash disposal ponds, but the revision of these AROs may be required in the future due to changes in existing CCR regulations, the results of groundwater monitoring of CCR units or changes in interpretation of existing CCR regulations or changes in the timing or cost to close ash disposal ponds. If revisions to these AROs are necessary, the impact on the Evergy Companies' operations or consolidated financial results could be material.

Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel

Under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, the Department of Energy (DOE) is responsible for the permanent disposal of spent nuclear fuel. In 2010, the DOE filed a motion with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to

withdraw its application to construct a national repository for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The NRC has not yet issued a final decision on the matter.

Wolf Creek has elected to build a dry cask storage facility to expand its existing on-site spent nuclear fuel storage, which is expected to provide additional capacity prior to 2022. The Evergy Companies expect that the majority of the costs to construct the dry cask storage facility that would not have otherwise been incurred had the DOE begun accepting spent nuclear fuel will be reimbursed by the DOE. The Evergy Companies cannot predict, when, or if, an off-site storage site or alternative disposal site will be available to receive Wolf Creek's spent nuclear fuel and will continue to monitor this activity.