With projects worth more than $200 billion planned for the next few years, the utility industry is in the midst of an historic capital construction phase. Rather than follow the industry’s traditional approach to capital projects—announce, build, litigate—Kansas City Power & Light (KCP&L) started with a blank sheet of paper a few years ago and asked its customers and other stakeholders what kind of long-term energy plan they wanted. The $1.3 billion plan that resulted from KCP&L’s unusual, if not completely unique, approach was tangible evidence that the utility’s leaders were committed to operating their business in a transparent, collaborative manner where decisions would benefit all stakeholders, not just common-stock shareholders. By working with customers, environmental groups, regulators, community leaders, and other interested parties, KCP&L minimized the regulatory risks inherent in any capital project and built important goodwill for the utility. It’s a model we think other utilities should consider as they develop plans for future power plants. (ER-06-13; November 2006; 20 pages)