f8kmpsckcc.htm
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
|
Washington,
D.C. 20549
|
|
FORM
8-K
|
|
Current
Report
|
|
Pursuant
to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
|
Securities
Exchange Act of 1934
|
|
|
Date
of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 25,
2008
|
|
Commission
File
Number
|
|
Registrant,
State of Incorporation,
Address
and Telephone Number
|
|
I.R.S.
Employer
Identification
Number
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
001-32206
|
|
GREAT
PLAINS ENERGY INCORPORATED
|
|
43-1916803
|
|
|
(A
Missouri Corporation)
|
|
|
|
|
1201
Walnut Street
|
|
|
|
|
Kansas
City, Missouri 64106
|
|
|
|
|
(816)
556-2200
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NOT
APPLICABLE
|
|
|
(Former
name or former address,
if
changed since last report)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
000-51873
|
|
KANSAS
CITY POWER & LIGHT COMPANY
|
|
44-0308720
|
|
|
(A
Missouri Corporation)
|
|
|
|
|
1201
Walnut Street
|
|
|
|
|
Kansas
City, Missouri 64106
|
|
|
|
|
(816)
556-2200
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NOT
APPLICABLE
|
|
|
|
|
(Former
name or former address,
if
changed since last report)
|
|
|
Check the
appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously
satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following
provisions:
[ ]
|
Written
communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
230.425)
|
|
|
[ ]
|
Soliciting
material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14a-12)
|
|
|
[ ]
|
Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange
Act
|
|
(17
CFR 240.14d-2(b))
|
|
|
[ ]
|
Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.13e-4(c))
|
Great
Plains Energy Incorporated (Great Plains Energy) and Kansas City
Power & Light Company (KCP&L) (the Registrants) are separately
filing this combined Current Report on Form 8-K (Report).
Item
7.01
|
Regulation
FD Disclosure
|
On
February 26, 2008, a webcast will be conducted regarding the pending Missouri
and Kansas regulatory proceedings regarding the proposed Great Plains Energy –
Aquila transaction. A copy of the slides to be used in the webcast is
attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.
The
information under this Item 7.01 and in Exhibit 99.1 hereto is being furnished
and shall not be deemed filed for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The information under this Item
7.01 and Exhibit 99.1 hereto shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into
any registration statement or other document pursuant to the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, unless otherwise expressly indicated in such registration
statement or other document.
On
February 25, 2008, Great Plains Energy and KCP&L filed supplemental direct
testimony in the pending MPSC proceedings regarding the proposed Great Plains
Energy – Aquila transaction. The filing withdrew the request for
recovery of Aquila’s actual debt interest cost, and proposed to follow the debt
interest cost recovery procedure utilized in the most recent Aquila Missouri
rate cases, which is the assigning to non-investment grade debt investment-grade
interest rates for comparable debt. The filing also withdrew the
proposal for a specific synergy savings sharing mechanism, and instead proposed
to utilize the natural regulatory lag that occurs between rate cases to retain
any portion of synergy savings. The filing further withdrew the
request for an additional amortization provision in this case, with the
intention to begin discussions after closing of the proposed transaction to
develop a regulatory plan for Aquila that may include an additional amortization
provision. The filing continued the request for the deferral and amortization of
transaction and transition costs over a five-year period beginning with the
first post-transaction rate cases, but withdrew from that request the estimated
approximate $17 million of transaction costs associated with Aquila senior
management potential severance costs.
At the
February 25, 2008, hearings in the pending Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC)
proceedings regarding this proposed transaction, the parties announced that they
had reached an agreement in principle for the resolution of this
case. The terms of the agreement will remain confidential until the
definitive agreement is filed with the KCC. The parties have
requested a March 7 hearing on the agreement.
Item
9.01
|
Financial
Statements and Exhibits
|
|
|
(d) Exhibits
|
|
|
|
99.1
|
February
26, 2008, webcast slides (furnished and not deemed filed for the purpose
of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended).
|
Forward
Looking Statements
Statements
made in this report that are not based on historical facts are forward-looking,
may involve risks and uncertainties, and are intended to be as of the date when
made. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to,
statements regarding projected delivered volumes and margins, the outcome of
regulatory proceedings, cost estimates of the comprehensive energy plan and
other matters affecting future operations. In connection with the
safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995,
the
registrants
are providing a number of important factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially from the provided forward-looking
information. These important factors include: future economic
conditions in the regional, national and international markets, including but
not limited to regional and national wholesale electricity markets; market
perception of the energy industry, Great Plains Energy and KCP&L; changes in
business strategy, operations or development plans; effects of current or
proposed state and federal legislative and regulatory actions or developments,
including, but not limited to, deregulation, re-regulation and restructuring of
the electric utility industry; decisions of regulators regarding rates KCP&L
can charge for electricity; adverse changes in applicable laws, regulations,
rules, principles or practices governing tax, accounting and environmental
matters including, but not limited to, air and water quality; financial market
conditions and performance including, but not limited to, changes in interest
rates and in availability and cost of capital and the effects on pension plan
assets and costs; credit ratings; inflation rates; effectiveness of risk
management policies and procedures and the ability of counterparties to satisfy
their contractual commitments; impact of terrorist acts; increased competition
including, but not limited to, retail choice in the electric utility industry
and the entry of new competitors; ability to carry out marketing and sales
plans; weather conditions including weather-related damage; cost, availability,
quality and deliverability of fuel; ability to achieve generation planning goals
and the occurrence and duration of unplanned generation outages; delays in the
anticipated in-service dates and cost increases of additional generating
capacity; nuclear operations; ability to enter new markets successfully and
capitalize on growth opportunities in non-regulated businesses and the effects
of competition; workforce risks including compensation and benefits costs;
performance of projects undertaken by non-regulated businesses and the success
of efforts to invest in and develop new opportunities; the ability to
successfully complete merger, acquisition or divestiture plans (including the
acquisition of Aquila, Inc., and Aquila’s sale of assets to Black Hills
Corporation ); the outcome of Great Plains Energy’s review of strategic and
structural alternatives for its subsidiary Strategic Energy, L.L.C.; and other
risks and uncertainties.
This list
of factors is not all-inclusive because it is not possible to predict all
factors. Other risk factors are detailed from time to time in Great
Plains Energy’s and KCP&L’s most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q or
annual report on From 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date
on which such statement is made.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has
duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto
duly authorized.
|
GREAT
PLAINS ENERGY INCORPORATED
|
|
|
|
/s/
Terry Bassham
|
|
Terry
Bassham
|
|
Executive
Vice President- Finance & Strategic Development and Chief Financial
Officer
|
|
KANSAS
CITY POWER & LIGHT COMPANY
|
|
|
|
/s/
Terry Bassham
|
|
Terry
Bassham
|
|
Chief
Financial Officer
|
Date: February
25, 2008
ppt.htm
Great
Plains Energy
Aquila Transaction Update
Exhibit
99.1
2
FORWARD-LOOKING
STATEMENTS
Statements made in
this release that are not based on historical facts are forward-looking, may
involve risks and
uncertainties, and are intended to be as of the date when
made. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to,
statements
regarding projected delivered volumes and margins, the outcome of regulatory
proceedings, cost estimates of
the comprehensive energy plan and other
matters affecting future operations. In connection with the safe harbor
provisions
of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the
registrants are providing a number of important factors that could
cause
actual results to differ materially from the provided forward-looking
information. These important factors include:
future economic conditions in
the regional, national
and international markets, including but not limited to regional and
national
wholesale electricity markets; market perception of the energy industry, Great
Plains Energy and KCP&L; changes in
business strategy, operations or
development plans; effects of current or proposed state and federal legislative
and
regulatory actions or developments, including, but not limited to,
deregulation, re-regulation and restructuring of the electric
utility
industry; decisions of regulators regarding rates KCP&L can charge for
electricity; adverse changes in applicable laws,
regulations, rules,
principles or practices governing tax, accounting and environmental matters
including, but not limited to,
air and water quality; financial market
conditions and performance including, but not limited to, changes in interest
rates and
in availability and cost of capital and the effects on pension plan
assets and costs; credit ratings; inflation rates;
effectiveness of risk
management policies and procedures and the ability of counterparties to satisfy
their contractual
commitments; impact of terrorist acts; increased
competition including, but not limited to, retail choice in the electric
utility
industry and the entry of new competitors; ability to carry out
marketing and sales plans; weather conditions including
weather-related
damage; cost, availability, quality and deliverability of fuel; ability to
achieve generation planning goals and
the occurrence and duration of
unplanned generation outages; delays in the anticipated in-service dates and
cost increases
of additional generating capacity; nuclear operations; ability
to enter new markets successfully and capitalize on growth
opportunities in
non-regulated businesses and the effects of competition; workforce risks
including compensation and
benefits costs; performance of projects undertaken
by non-regulated businesses and the success of efforts to invest in
and
develop new opportunities; the ability to successfully complete merger,
acquisition or divestiture plans (including the
acquisition of Aquila, Inc.,
and Aquila’s sale of assets to Black Hills Corporation); the outcome of Great
Plains Energy’s review
of strategic and structural alternatives for its
subsidiary Strategic Energy, L.L.C.; and other risks and uncertainties.
Other
risk factors are detailed from time to time in Great Plains Energy’s
most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q or annual
report on Form 10-K filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This list of factors is not
all-inclusive because it is
not possible to predict all factors.
Forward Looking
Statement
Great
Plains Energy
Aquila Transaction Update
Mike
Chesser,
Chairman and CEO
4
• Strong performance
at KCP&L
• Comprehensive
Energy Plan
• Sierra Club
agreement
• Strategic
alternative review of
Strategic
Energy
• Pending
acquisition of Aquila’s
Missouri
electric operations
Strategic Context
- - GPE / KCP&L
5
ü Strong support for
transaction from
shareholders
of both companies
ü FERC approval
received
ü Nebraska, Iowa,
& Colorado approval
of
Black
Hills transaction
ü Kansas settlement
reached for Black Hills;
agreement
in principle for Great Plains
• Missouri hearings
expected to begin in April
• Transaction
anticipated to close in first half
of
2008
+
FORGING
A STRONGER
REGIONAL
UTILITY
Aquila Transaction
Update
6
Highlights of
Revised Missouri Proposal
• Earlier savings to
customers, plus mitigation of
future
rate increases for both companies
• Recovery of
interest on Aquila non-investment grade
debt
through 2012 consistent with Aquila’s current
approach
• Great Plains
shareholders see accretion beginning in
year
2
• Aquila
shareholders become part of a financially
stronger
company, including investment grade credit
rating
and dividend payment
7
Note: Projection
based on terms of revised regulatory proposal, including synergy capture
assumptions
Customer
Savings
Projected Customer
Savings Mitigate
Future Rate Increases
Revised
Proposal
Terry
Bassham, CFO
Executive Vice President
Finance & Strategic
Development
9
• Agreement in
principle reached
• Terms of agreement
will remain confidential until
definitive
document is signed and filed with the
Commission
• Testimony
supporting the agreement is expected to
be
filed on March 4, with a hearing on March 7
Kansas
Agreement
10
What
Has Changed
In Missouri
Previous
“ask”
|
Current
“ask”
|
•Immediate
approval for retention of 50% of utility operational synergies ($260
million net of transition costs) over 5 years
|
•Recovery of
utility operational synergies through traditional ratemaking
process
•Regulatory
lag expected to provide opportunity for the retention
of approximately 50% of the synergies
|
•Recovery of
50% of transition costs ($45 million) over 5 years
|
•Recovery of
100% of updated transition cost ($58.9 million) over five
years
|
•Recovery of
100% of the transaction costs ($95 million) over 5
years
|
•Recovery of
100% of the revised transaction costs ($64.9 million) over 5
years
•Company no
longer requesting recovery of CIC and Rabbi Trust for Senior Aquila
officers
|
•Recovery
requested of actual interest costs in Aquila customer
rates
|
•No recovery
of Aquila actual interest costs in excess of equivalent investment
grade costs
|
•Authorization
to use additional amortizations in Aquila rate cases to meet credit
metrics, consistent with KCP&L’s treatment
|
•Will include
as a component in a future regulatory plan for
Aquila
|
Amounts shown
are total amounts before allocations between Missouri and Kansas
jurisdictions.
11
Missouri Hearings,
Approval
and
Close
Shareholders
receive
benefits of
synergies
File
rate case
File
rate case
Shareholders
receive
benefits of
new synergies
Rates
Effective
Rates
Effective
Path
to Synergy Sharing
12
Great
Plains expects to realize $675 million of total savings and
synergies over
five years
Interest
Savings
Corporate
Retained
& Merchant Savings
$302
$305
$68
$120
$131
$54
$27
$275
Significant
Synergies Expected
13
Proximity Helps to
Achieve
Synergy Numbers
14
Announced
Synergies as a % of Combined Total O&M
Announced
Synergies as a % of Combined Non-Fuel O&M
Source:
RJ Rudden Associates, based on $279mm of regulated operational synergies net of
purchased power
Estimates Are In
Line With Comparable
Merger Savings
15
Shareholder Value
Proposition
Great
Plains Shareholders
• Accretion in 2009
and beyond
• Investment in
Aquila’s growth
expands
rate base
• Operational and
financial scale:
shared
synergies mitigate future
rate
increases
• Efficient use of
Aquila’s tax
position
Aquila
Shareholders
• Investment grade
credit rating
to
support rate base
investments
at lower costs
• Dividends
• Operational and
financial scale:
shared
synergies mitigate future
rate
increases
• New regulatory
plan to support
future
investment
Great
Plains Energy
Aquila Transaction Update