Business Profile

STATEMENT OF BUSINESS: As a not-for-profit, wholesale, electric generation and transmission utility, Sunflower Electric Power Corporation is owned and governed by six Member distribution cooperatives who now serve 400,000 people in central and western Kansas. Joining together in 1957 enabled the six distribution systems to provide affordable, reliable power to customers in 34 western Kansas counties. In 2007, the distribution systems formed Mid-Kansas Electric Company, LLC, by acquiring the assets of the Kansas Electric Network of Aquila, Inc. This acquisition added 21 counties to their service territories.

FACILITIES/WORK FORCE: Sunflower is headquartered in Hays, Kansas, in the former St. Anthony’s Hospital building. Dedicated in 1931, for 41 years the structure now owned by Sunflower served northwest Kansas until the hospital was relocated on the east side of Hays. From 1972 to 1982, the former hospital building was unused. In 1982, the Sunflower Board of Trustees purchased and renovated the building for the new headquarters. The decision to refurbish the Hays landmark versus erecting a new building saved the corporation more than $2 million.

The Sunflower workforce at its six generating stations and outlying offices totals more than 390.

GAS-FIRED GENERATING CAPACITY: Sunflower and Mid-Kansas own and operate Cimarron River Station, which is located near Liberal, Kansas, and consists of two units that total 77 megawatts; Clifton Station, consisting of one 66-megawatt unit near Clifton, Kansas; Fort Dodge Station, consisting of one 147-megawatt unit near Dodge City, Kansas; Garden City Station is located in Garden City, Kansas, and consisting of five units that total 226 megawatts; and Great Bend Station, consisting of one 99-megawatt unit near Great Bend, Kansas.

COAL-FIRED GENERATING CAPACITY: Sunflower owns and operates Holcomb Station, a 362-megawatt near Holcomb Station.

CONTRACTED CAPACITY: A Power Purchase Agreement with Jeffrey Energy, located near St. Marys, Kansas, brings168 megawatts of coal-fired power to the system. PPAs are also in place for 74 megawatts from the Smoky Hills Wind Farm, located near Lincoln, Kansas; and 51 megawatts of power from the Gray County Wind Farm, located near Montezuma, Kansas.

TRANSMISSION SYSTEM: Sunflower and Mid-Kansas own and operate approximately 2,300 miles of transmission line and 76 substations.

2010 SYSTEM PEAK: The Sunflower system peaked at 1143 megawatts in July.