12. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Environmental Matters

Great Plains Energy and KCP&L are subject to extensive federal, state and local environmental laws, regulations and permit requirements relating to air and water quality, waste management and disposal, natural resources and health and safety. In addition to imposing continuing compliance obligations and remediation costs, these laws, regulations and permits authorize the imposition of substantial penalties for noncompliance, including fines, injunctive relief and other sanctions. The cost of complying with current and future environmental requirements is expected to be material to Great Plains Energy and KCP&L. Failure to comply with environmental requirements or to timely recover environmental costs through rates could have a material effect on Great Plains Energy's and KCP&L's results of operations, financial position and cash flows.

Great Plains Energy's and KCP&L's current estimates of capital expenditures (exclusive of Allowance for Funds Used During Construction (AFUDC) and property taxes) over the next four years to comply with environmental regulations are in the following table. The total cost of compliance with any existing, proposed or future laws and regulations may be significantly different from these cost estimates provided.



	2017		2018		2019		2020
	(millions)
Great Plains Energy	$	36.3	$	16.6	$	9.2	$	13.7
KCP&L	34.9		16.5		7.9		13.0

The Companies expect to seek recovery of the costs associated with environmental requirements through rate increases; however, there can be no assurance that such rate increases would be granted. The Companies may be subject to materially adverse rate treatment in response to competitive, economic, political, legislative or regulatory factors and/or public perception of the Companies' environmental reputation.

The following discussion groups environmental and certain associated matters into the broad categories of air and climate change, water, solid waste and remediation.

Clean Air Act and Climate Change Overview

The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (Clean Air Act) and associated regulations enacted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) form a comprehensive program to preserve and enhance air quality. States are required to establish regulations and programs to address all requirements of the Clean Air Act and have the flexibility to enact more stringent requirements. All of Great Plains Energy's and KCP&L's generating facilities, and certain of their other facilities, are subject to the Clean Air Act.

Climate Change

The Companies' current generation capacity is primarily coal-fired and is estimated to produce about one ton of carbon dioxide (CO₂) per MWh, or approximately 19 million tons and 15 million tons per year for Great Plains Energy and KCP&L, respectively. The Companies are subject to existing greenhouse gas reporting regulations and certain greenhouse gas requirements. Federal or state legislation concerning the reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases, including CO₂, could be enacted in the future. At the international level, the Paris Agreement was adopted in December 2015 by nearly 200 countries and became effective in November 2016. The Paris Agreement does not result in any new, legally binding obligations on the United States to meet a particular greenhouse gas emissions target, but establishes a framework for international cooperation on climate change. In June 2017, United States President Donald Trump announced the United States would withdraw from the Paris Agreement. Under the rules of the Paris Agreement, the earliest any country can withdraw is November 2020. Other international agreements legally binding on the United States may be reached in the future. Greenhouse gas legislation has the potential of having significant financial and operational impacts on Great Plains Energy and KCP&L; however, the ultimate financial and operational consequences to Great Plains Energy and KCP&L cannot be determined until such legislation is passed. In the absence of new Congressional mandates, the EPA is proceeding with the regulation of greenhouse gases under the existing Clean Air Act.

In August 2015, the EPA finalized CO₂ emission standards for new, modified and reconstructed affected fossil-fuel-fired electric utility generating units. The standards would not apply to Great Plains Energy's and KCP&L's existing units unless the units were modified or reconstructed in the future. Also in August 2015, the EPA finalized its Clean Power Plan which sets CO₂ emission performance rates for existing affected fossil-fuel-fired electric generating units. Nationwide, by 2030, the EPA projects the Clean Power Plan would achieve CO₂ emission reductions from the power sector of approximately 32% from CO₂ emission levels in 2005.

In February 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court granted a stay of the Clean Power Plan putting the rule on hold pending review in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and any subsequent review by the U.S. Supreme Court if such review is sought. In March 2017, United States President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order, Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth, that contains a number of climate-related actions. As to the Clean Power Plan and related rules, the order instructs the EPA to review the final rules addressing greenhouse gas emissions from existing, new and modified power plants and suspend, revise or rescind the rules if appropriate. The order directs the EPA Administrator to notify the Attorney General of actions pursuant to this order so that the Attorney General may request courts that are judicially reviewing the above rules and associated litigation to stay or otherwise delay further the litigation while the EPA reviews them. Compliance with the Clean Power Plan has the potential of having significant financial and operational impacts on Great Plains Energy and KCP&L; however, the ultimate financial and operational consequences to Great Plains Energy and KCP&L cannot be determined until the outcome of the EPA's review and pending litigation is known.

Clean Water Act

The Clean Water Act and associated regulations enacted by the EPA form a comprehensive program to restore and preserve water quality. Like the Clean Air Act, states are required to establish regulations and programs to address all requirements of the Clean Water Act, and have the flexibility to enact more stringent requirements. All of Great Plains Energy's and KCP&L's generating facilities, and certain of their other facilities, are subject to the Clean Water Act.

In May 2014, the EPA finalized regulations pursuant to Section 316(b) of the Clean Water Act regarding cooling water intake structures pursuant to a court approved settlement. KCP&L generation facilities with cooling water intake structures are subject to the best technology available standards based on studies completed to comply with such standards. The rule provides flexibility to work with the states to develop the best technology available to minimize aquatic species impacted by being pinned against intake screens (impingement) or drawn into cooling water systems (entrainment). Estimated costs to comply with Section 316(b) of the Clean Water Act are included in the estimated capital expenditures table above.

KCP&L holds a permit from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) covering water discharge from its Hawthorn Station. The permit authorizes KCP&L to, among other things, withdraw water from the Missouri River for cooling purposes and return the heated water to the Missouri River. KCP&L 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, KCP&L continues to operate under its current permit. Great Plains Energy and KCP&L 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 significant impact on Great Plains Energy's and KCP&L's results of operations, financial position and cash flows.

In September 2015, the EPA finalized a revision of the technology-based effluent limitations guidelines and standards regulation to make the existing controls on discharges from steam electric power plants more stringent. The final rule sets the first federal limits on the levels of toxic metals in wastewater that can be discharged from power plants. The new requirements for existing power plants would be phased in between 2018 and 2023. The final rule establishes new or additional requirements for wastewaters associated with the following processes and byproducts at certain KCP&L and GMO stations: flue gas desulfurization, fly ash, bottom ash, flue gas mercury control, and combustion residual leachate from landfills and surface impoundments. In April 2017, the EPA announced its decision to review and reconsider the new requirements and issued an administrative stay to delay the compliance deadlines. Estimated capital costs to comply with the final rule are included in the estimated capital expenditures table above.

Solid Waste

Solid and hazardous waste generation, storage, transportation, treatment and disposal are regulated at the federal and state levels under various laws and regulations. In December 2014, the EPA finalized regulations to regulate coal combustion residuals (CCRs) under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) subtitle D to address the risks from the disposal of CCRs generated from the combustion of coal at electric generating facilities. The Companies use coal in generating electricity and dispose of the CCRs in both on-site facilities and facilities owned by third parties. KCP&L's Iatan, La Cygne, and Montrose Stations and GMO's Sibley Station have on-site facilities affected by the rule. The rule requires periodic assessments; groundwater monitoring; location restrictions; design and operating requirements; recordkeeping and notifications; and closure, among other requirements, for CCR units. The rule was promulgated in the Federal Register on April 17, 2015, and became effective six months after promulgation with various obligations effective at specified times within the rule. Estimated capital costs to comply with the CCR rule are included in the estimated capital expenditures table above. Certain requirements of the rule would require Great Plains Energy or KCP&L to expedite or incur additional capital expenditures in the future.

Great Plains Energy and KCP&L have asset retirement obligations (AROs) on their balance sheets for closure and post-closure of ponds and landfills containing CCRs. Certain requirements of the rule could in the future require further evaluation of the expected method of compliance and refinement of assumptions underlying the cost estimates for closure and post-closure. Great Plains Energy's and KCP&L's AROs could increase from the amounts presently recorded.

Remediation

Certain federal and state laws, including the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), hold current and previous owners or operators of contaminated facilities and persons who arranged for the disposal or treatment of hazardous substances liable for the cost of investigation and cleanup. CERCLA and other laws also authorize the EPA and other agencies to issue orders compelling potentially responsible parties to clean up sites that are determined to present an actual or potential threat to human health or the environment. GMO retains some environmental liability for several operations and investments it no longer owns. In addition, GMO also owns, or has acquired liabilities from companies that once owned or operated, former manufactured gas plant (MGP) sites, which are subject to the supervision of the EPA and various state environmental agencies.

At June 30, 2017, and December 31, 2016, KCP&L had $0.3 million accrued for environmental remediation expenses, which covers ground water monitoring at a former MGP site. The amount accrued was established on an undiscounted basis and KCP&L does not currently have an estimated time frame over which the accrued amount may be paid.

In addition to the $0.3 million accrual above, at June 30, 2017, and December 31, 2016, Great Plains Energy had $1.4 million accrued for the future investigation and remediation of certain additional GMO identified MGP sites and retained liabilities. This estimate was based upon review of the potential costs associated with conducting investigative and remedial actions at identified sites, as well as the likelihood of whether such actions will be necessary. This estimate could change materially after further investigation, and could also be affected by the actions of environmental agencies and the financial viability of other potentially responsible parties; however, given the uncertainty of these items the possible loss or range of loss in excess of the amount accrued is not estimable.

GMO has pursued recovery of remediation costs from insurance carriers and other potentially responsible parties. As a result of a settlement with an insurance carrier, approximately $1.5 million in insurance proceeds less an annual deductible is available to GMO to recover qualified MGP remediation expenses. GMO would seek recovery of additional remediation costs and expenses through rate increases; however, there can be no assurance that such rate increases would be granted.