The KCC's decision is not responsive to incentives that the Kansas legislature put into place to develop the vast wind resources in the state. Earlier this year the Kansas legislature approved a new Kansas Transmission Authority intended to facilitate the construction of transmission lines that would help tap the vast wind resources of western Kansas.

Under the plan approved by the KCC, KCP&L will install Iatan 2, a new 850 Megawatt coal fired power plant. Capacity in excess of 500 MW will be sold to other utilities. At the same time KCP&L will be expanding the capacity of Iatan 1 by about 122 Megawatts. This means, considering capacity factors, KCP&L's Energy Plan results in 95% coal burning and only 5% wind power and cannot be considered forward looking or environmentally sustainable. KCP&L did not support the recent passage of the Kansas Transmission authority.

In addition the base load capacity from the new coal plant will dampen demand necessary for the development of a Kansas wind power industry. Economic development and jobs will mostly occur out of state for decades to come, paid for by Kansas dollars. Kansans currently sends some $2 billion out of state for its energy needs, most of which goes to buy coal from Wyoming to burn in electric generating plants.

Both KCP&L and the KCC overlooked the growing alarm concerning the very real costs of global warming. They dismissed the fact that sentiment is increasing for a "carbon" tax" that could be levied even before Iatan 2 is completed. For example the California Public Service Commission now requires its largest utilities to incorporate a carbon tax cost additive of $8 per ton of CO2 emissions in their long range planning studies. This carbon tax increment is in place to ensure that the utilities make the correct choice when deciding how to augment their generating capabilities. The KCC has not followed California 's lead and is exposing KCP&L's customers to a significant risk of rate increases if and when a carbon tax is implemented.

The KCC's decision means the health and welfare of our grandchildren will be imperiled by at least another 6 million tons per year (for 50 years) of greenhouse gases from KCP&L's Energy Plan.

The Plan approved by the KCC includes an unprecedented provision called CIAC, or Contribution in Aid of Construction. This provides for additional funds from ratepayers to ensure that KCP&L's balance sheet meets financial standards set by Wall Street interests. In effect it amounts to a new subsidy for burning coal because it saddles the ratepayer with the increased risks associated with the huge cost and long lead time of a new coal fired power plant.

In turn, it negates the advantages of using alternatives to building a huge new coal plant which are energy conservation programs, purchased power, peaking combustion turbines and wind power which, while itself capital intensive, can be installed in small increments in only two years or less as demand requires. CIAC, then, is another environmentally damaging element of the Plan approved by the KCC. Further it creates a strong precedent that other large utility companies will utilize to build yet more huge coal plants in the future.