Chair French convened the Kansas Corporation Commission’s Dec. 30, 2025, business meeting and the panel voted to open a formal docket after staff described a complaint alleging livestock deaths linked to utility transmission lines.

Aaron Bailey, the presenter for the noticed item, said Jackie Coltrane on behalf of Coal Valley Angus LLC filed a complaint reporting that in February two stock bulls were found dead in a pasture and “the cause of death was found to be electrocution by a veterinarian.” Bailey said the complainant reported stray voltage and “high voltage readings under the said transmission lines, shortly after the dead cattle were found,” and sought damages totaling $16,347.40. Bailey recommended opening the case and serving Evergy for an answer under KAR 82-1-220.

Commissioner Keither asked whether this was the first case of its kind; Bailey said it was the only one he was aware of and noted the complainant provided hyperlinks and electrical readings that staff had not fully reviewed before the meeting but considered worth exploring. After no further questions, Commissioner Keane indicated approval of the draft order. The commission voted in favor, and Chair French announced the order to open docket 26EKCE0159COM was approved.

The commission’s action will formally open the proceeding and require Evergy to respond to the complaint; no response from Evergy appears in the transcript. The docket was identified on the record as 26EKCE0159COM and the staff recommendation cited KAR 82-1-220 as the basis for opening and serving the case. The transcript does not record any damages awarded or findings on liability—the action taken at this meeting was to open the case and seek an answer from Evergy for further processing.

The meeting also approved a 41-item consent agenda before taking up the noticed item and then adjourned. The commission did not take additional evidentiary steps at this session; staff indicated there is additional material in the complaint record for staff to examine as the docket proceeds.