SEC Filing | Evergy, Inc.

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GREAT PLAINS ENERGY INCORPORATED 401(k) SAVINGS PLAN (FORMERLY KNOWN AS GREAT PLAINS ENERGY INCORPORATED CASH OR DEFERRED ARRANGEMENT (“EMPLOYEE SAVINGS PLUS”))

(FORMERLY NAMED THE GREAT PLAINS ENERGY INCORPORATED LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN, AS AMENDED)

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐

Effective June 4, 2018, pursuant to the Amended and Restated Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) dated as of July 9, 2017, by and among the Company, Westar Energy, Inc. (“Westar Energy”), Great Plains Energy Incorporated (“Great Plains Energy”), and King Energy, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (“Merger Sub”), (1) Great Plains Energy merged with and into the Company, with the Company continuing as the surviving corporation (the “Great Plains Energy Merger”), and (2) Merger Sub merged with and into Westar Energy, with Westar Energy continuing as the surviving corporation (the “Westar Energy Merger” and, together with the Great Plains Energy Merger, the “Mergers”). As a result of the Mergers, the Company is the direct parent of Westar Energy and of Great Plains Energy’s direct subsidiaries.

At the effective time of the Mergers, (1) each share of common stock of Great Plains Energy issued and outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the Mergers was converted into the right to receive 0.5981 (referred to as the “Great Plains Energy Exchange Ratio”) validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable shares of Common Stock; and (2) each share of common stock of Westar Energy issued and outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the Mergers was converted into the right to receive one validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable share of Common Stock.

Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, upon the consummation of the Mergers: (i) each performance share award of Great Plains Energy that was unvested and outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the Mergers was converted into an award of performance share awards of Common Stock equal to the number of Great Plains Energy performance share awards multiplied by the Great Plains Energy Exchange Ratio and subject to the same terms and conditions as were applicable to such Great Plains Energy performance share award except that performance measures shall be adjusted as soon as practicable after the Mergers as determined appropriate and equitable by the Compensation and Leadership Development Committee of the Board to reflect the performance of Great Plains Energy during the performance measurement period prior to the Mergers; (ii) each deferred share unit of Great Plains Energy that was unvested and outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the Mergers was converted into an award of a number of deferred share units of Common Stock equal to the number of Great Plains Energy deferred share units of Great Plains Energy common stock multiplied by the Great Plains Energy Exchange Ratio and subject to the same terms and conditions as were applicable to such Great Plains Energy deferred share unit award; and (iii) each contractual right to receive a share of Great Plains Energy common stock or the value of such a share (other than Great Plains Energy deferred share units and Great Plains Energy performance share awards) pursuant to any Great Plains Energy benefit or compensation plan, agreement or arrangement that was outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the Mergers, was converted into an equity or equity-based award in respect of a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of shares of Great Plains Energy common stock represented by the contractual right multiplied by the Great Plains Energy Exchange Ratio and subject to the same terms and conditions as were applicable to such contractual right to receive a share of Great Plains Energy common stock or the value thereof.

Additionally, as provided in the Merger Agreement, each unvested Westar Energy restricted share unit (other than those granted in connection with the consummation of the Mergers), unvested performance unit and contractual right to receive a share of Westar Energy common stock or the value of such a share (other than Westar restricted share units and Westar performance units) outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the Mergers was cancelled and converted into a vested right to receive a share of Common Stock, plus a cash payment in an amount equal to any dividend equivalents associated with such award as of the effective time of the Mergers, with the number of Westar Energy performance units to be the greater of the target award or the number determined in accordance with the performance criteria provided in the applicable award agreement.

This Registration Statement is being filed by the Registrant in connection with the registration of the Common Stock issuable to eligible employees of the Registrant or its subsidiaries pursuant to awards granted or that may in the future be granted under the Plans, which were assumed by the Registrant in accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement.

The document(s) containing the employee benefit plan information required by Item 1 of Form S-8 and the statement of availability of registrant information and any other information required by Item 2 of Form S-8 will be sent or given to participants in the Plans as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities Act. In accordance with

Rule 428(b)(2) of the Securities Act, the Company has not filed such documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), but such documents, along with the documents incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement pursuant to Item 3 of Part II hereof, taken together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act. The Company shall maintain a file of such documents in accordance with the provisions of Rule 428(a)(2) of the Securities Act. Upon request, the Company shall furnish to the SEC or its staff a copy or copies of all of the documents included in such file.

The Company incorporates by reference the documents or portions of documents listed below that were filed with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), except to the extent that any information contained in such filings is deemed “furnished” and not “filed” (pursuant to Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of any Current Report on Form 8-K and corresponding exhibits thereto or other applicable SEC rules):

All documents the Company, Great Plains Energy Incorporated 401(k) Savings Plan and Westar Energy, Inc. Employees’ 401(k) Savings Plan filed pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act (excluding any information furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of any Current Report on Form 8-K and any corresponding exhibits thereto not filed with the SEC or other applicable SEC rules) subsequent to the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

Any statement contained in this Registration Statement or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated herein by reference shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any document subsequently filed by the Company, Great Plains Energy Incorporated 401(k) Savings Plan or Westar Energy Employees’ 401(k) Savings Plan which also is, or is deemed to be, incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

Subject to the foregoing, all information appearing in this Registration Statement is qualified in its entirety by the information appearing in the documents incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.

The validity of the shares of common stock offered hereby has been passed upon for the Company by Heather A. Humphrey, the Company’s Senior Vice President – General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. A copy of this opinion is attached as Exhibit 5.1 to this Registration Statement. Ms. Humphrey beneficially owns or has rights to acquire an aggregate of less than 0.1% of the total outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company.

The following summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of the statutes referred to below and the Company’s Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation (the “Articles of Incorporation”) and By-laws (the “By-laws”).

1. A corporation created under the laws of this state may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, other than an action by or in the right of the corporation, by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action, suit, or proceeding if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit, or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.

2. The corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses, including attorneys’ fees, and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense or settlement of the action or suit if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation; except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of his or her duty to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the court in which the action or suit was brought determines upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability and in view of all the circumstances of the case, the person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the court shall deem proper.

3. Except as otherwise provided in the articles of incorporation or the bylaws, to the extent that a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit, or proceeding referred to in subsections 1 and 2 of this section, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he or she shall be indemnified against expenses, including attorneys’ fees, actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the action, suit, or proceeding.

4. Any indemnification under subsections 1 and 2 of this section, unless ordered by a court, shall be made by the corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the director, officer, employee or agent is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this section. The determination shall be made by the board of directors by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to the action, suit, or proceeding, or if such a quorum is not obtainable, or even if obtainable a quorum of disinterested directors so directs, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or by the shareholders.

5. Expenses incurred in defending any civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the corporation in advance of the final disposition of the action, suit, or proceeding as authorized by the board of directors in the specific case upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the director, officer, employee or agent to repay such amount unless it shall ultimately be determined that he or she is entitled to be indemnified by the corporation as authorized in this section.

6. The indemnification provided by this section shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification may be entitled under the articles of incorporation or the bylaws or any agreement, vote of shareholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in his or her official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office, and shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.

7. A corporation created under the laws of this state shall have the power to give any further indemnity, in addition to the indemnity authorized or contemplated under other subsections of this section, including subsection 6, to any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent, or to any person who is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, provided such further indemnity is either (i) authorized, directed, or provided for in the articles of incorporation of the corporation or any duly adopted amendment thereof or (ii) is authorized, directed, or provided for in any bylaw or agreement of the corporation which has been adopted by a vote of the shareholders of the corporation, and provided further that no such indemnity shall indemnify any person from or on account of such person’s conduct which was finally adjudged to have been knowingly fraudulent, deliberately dishonest or willful misconduct. Nothing in this subsection shall be deemed to limit the power of the corporation under subsection 6 of this section to enact bylaws or to enter into agreements without shareholder adoption of the same.

8. The corporation may purchase and maintain insurance or another arrangement on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against him or her and incurred by him or her in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify him against such liability under the provisions of this section. Without limiting the power of the corporation to procure or maintain any kind of insurance or other arrangement the corporation may for the benefit of persons indemnified by the corporation create a trust fund, establish any form of self-insurance, secure its indemnity obligation by grant of a security interest or other lien on the assets of the corporation, or establish a letter of credit, guaranty, or surety arrangement. The insurance or other arrangement may be procured, maintained, or established within the corporation or with any insurer or other person deemed appropriate by the board of directors regardless of whether all or part of the stock or other securities of the insurer or other person are owned in whole or in part by the corporation. In the absence of fraud the judgment of the board of directors as to the terms and conditions of the insurance or other arrangement and the identity of the insurer or other person participating in an arrangement shall be conclusive and the insurance or arrangement shall not be voidable and shall not subject the directors approving the insurance or arrangement to liability on any ground regardless of whether directors participating in the approval are beneficiaries of the insurance arrangement.

9. Any provision of this chapter to the contrary notwithstanding, the provisions of this section shall apply to all existing and new domestic corporations, including but not limited to banks, trust companies, insurance companies, building and loan associations, savings bank and safe deposit companies, mortgage loan companies, corporations formed for benevolent, religious, scientific or educational purposes and nonprofit corporations.

10. For the purpose of this section, references to “the corporation” include all constituent corporations absorbed in a consolidation or merger as well as the resulting or surviving corporation so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such a constituent corporation or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this section with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as he or she would if he or she had served the resulting or surviving corporation in the same capacity.

11. For purposes of this section, the term “other enterprise” shall include employee benefit plans; the term “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan; and the term “serving at the request of the corporation” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee, or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants, or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the corporation” as referred to in this section.

The officers and directors of the Company have entered into indemnification agreements with the Company indemnifying such officers and directors to the extent allowed under the above RSMo Section 351.355 (2016).

Article Thirteen of the Articles of Incorporation of the Company provides as follows:

ARTICLE THIRTEEN (a) Right to Indemnification. Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a Director or officer of the Company or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a Director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company to the fullest extent authorized by The General and Business Corporation Law of Missouri, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid to or to be paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith provided, however, that, except as provided in paragraph (b) hereof, the Company shall indemnify any such person seeking indemnification in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board of Directors of the Company. The right to indemnification conferred in this ARTICLE THIRTEEN shall be a contract right and shall include the right to be paid by the Company the expenses incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition: provided, however, that, if The General and Business Corporation Law of Missouri requires, the payment of such expenses incurred by a director or officer in his or her capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such person while a director or officer, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding, shall be made only upon delivery to the Company of an undertaking, by or on behalf of such director or officer, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such director or officer is not entitled to be indemnified under this ARTICLE THIRTEEN or otherwise. The Company may, by action of its Board of Directors, provide indemnification to employees and agents of the Company with the same scope and effect as the foregoing indemnification of directors and officers. Such indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a Director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators.

(b) Right of Claimant to Bring Suit. If a claim under paragraph (a) of this ARTICLE THIRTEEN is not paid in full by the Company within thirty days after a written claim has been received by the Company, the claimant may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Company to recover the unpaid amount of the claim and, if successful in whole or in part, the claimant shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting such claim. It shall be a defense to any such action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for expenses incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition where the required undertaking, if any is required, has been tendered to the Company) that the claimant has not met the standards of conduct which make it permissible under The General and Business Corporation Law of Missouri for the Company to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed, but the burden of proving such defense shall be on the Company. Neither the failure of the

Company (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its shareholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in The General and Business Corporation Law of Missouri, nor an actual determination by the Company (including its Board of Directors, independent, legal counsel, or its shareholders) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard or conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct.

(c) Rights Not Exclusive. The indemnification and other rights provided by this ARTICLE THIRTEEN shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which a person may be entitled under any applicable law, By-laws of the Company, agreement, vote of shareholders or disinterested Directors or otherwise, both as to action in such person’s official capacity and as to action in any other capacity while holding the office of Director or officer, and the Company is hereby expressly authorized by the shareholders of the Company to enter into agreements with its Directors and officers which provide greater indemnification rights than that generally provided by The General and Business Corporation Law of Missouri; provided, however, that no such further indemnity shall indemnify any person from or on account of such Director’s or officer’s conduct which was finally adjudged to have been knowingly fraudulent, deliberately dishonest or willful misconduct. Any such agreement providing for further indemnity entered into pursuant to this ARTICLE THIRTEEN after the date of approval of this ARTICLE THIRTEEN by the Company’s shareholders need not be further approved by the shareholders of the Company in order to be fully effective and enforceable.

(d) Insurance. The Company may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who was or is a Director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, or was or is serving at the request of the Company as a Director, officer, employee or agent of another Company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against or incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the Company would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under the provisions of this ARTICLE THIRTEEN.

(e) Amendment. This ARTICLE THIRTEEN may be hereafter amended or repealed; however, no amendment or repeal shall reduce, terminate or otherwise adversely affect the right of a person entitled to obtain indemnification or an advance of expenses with respect to an action, suit or proceeding that pertains to or arises out of actions or omissions that occur prior to the later of (i) the effective date of such amendment or repeal; (ii) the expiration date of such person’s then current term of office with, or service for, the Company (provided such person has a stated term of office or service and completes such term); or (iii) the effective date such person resigns his or her office or terminates his or her service (provided such person has a stated term of office or service but resigns prior to the expiration of such term).

Pursuant to RSMo Section 351.355 (2016), and the Articles of Incorporation, the Company maintains directors’ and officers’ liability coverage.

For the list of exhibits, see the Exhibit Index to this Registration Statement, which is incorporated in this item by reference.

In accordance with the requirements of Item 8(b) of Part II of Form S-8, the Registrant hereby undertakes that it will submit or has submitted the employee benefit plans subject to this Registration Statement and any amendments thereto to the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) in a timely manner and will make all changes required by the IRS to qualify the plans.

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of a prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective Registration Statement; and

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this Registration Statement or any material change to such information in this Registration Statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless, in the opinion of its counsel, the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Kansas City, State of Missouri, on June 15, 2018.


EVERGY, INC.

By:		/s/ Terry Bassham
		Terry Bassham President and Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Administrative Committee of the Great Plains Energy Incorporated 401(k) Savings Plan (formerly known as Great Plains Energy Incorporated Cash or Deferred Arrangement (“Employee Savings Plus”)) has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of Kansas City, State of Missouri, on June 15, 2018.


GREAT PLAINS ENERGY INCORPORATED 401(k) SAVINGS PLAN



By:		/s/ Ellen E. Fairchild
Name:		Ellen E. Fairchild
Member, Administrative Committee

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Investment and Benefits Committee of the Westar Energy, Inc. Employees’ 401(k) Savings Plan has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on the Plan’s behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized, in the city of city of Topeka, State of Kansas, on June 15, 2018.


WESTAR ENERGY, INC. EMPLOYEES’ 401(k) SAVINGS PLAN



By:		/s/ Anthony D. Somma
Name:		Anthony D. Somma
Chairman, Westar Energy, Inc. Investment and Benefits Committee

I have served as Senior Vice President – General Counsel and Corporate Secretary to Evergy, Inc., a Missouri corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to the issuance of up to 2,970,000 shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, no par value, which consists of 245,000 Shares issuable pursuant to the Great Plains Energy Incorporated 401(k) Savings Plan, 1,675,000 Shares issuable pursuant to the Evergy, Inc. Long-Term Incentive Plan (formerly named the Great Plains Energy Incorporated Long-Term Incentive Plan, as amended), 850,000 Shares issuable pursuant to the Westar Energy, Inc. Long Term Incentive and Share Award Plan and 200,000 Shares issuable pursuant to the Westar Energy, Inc. Employees’ 401(k) Savings Plan (collectively, the “Plans”).

In rendering the opinions expressed below, I have examined and relied upon a copy of the Registration Statement and the exhibits filed therewith. I am familiar with the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation and the Amended and Restated By-laws of the Company and the resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company relating to the Registration Statement. I have also examined originals, or copies of originals certified to my satisfaction, of such agreements, documents, certificates and statements of government officials and other instruments, and have examined such questions of law and have satisfied myself as to such matters of fact, as I have considered relevant and necessary as a basis for this opinion letter. I have assumed the authenticity of all documents submitted to me as originals, the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all persons other than the directors and officers of the Company and the conformity with the original documents of any copies thereof submitted to me for examination.

Based on the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications and limitations hereinafter set forth, I am of the opinion that the Shares, when issued in accordance with the provisions of the Plans, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

I am licensed to practice law in the State of Missouri and the foregoing opinions are limited to the laws of the State of Missouri.

I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to all references to me included in or made a part of the Registration Statement. In giving the foregoing consent, I do not hereby admit that I come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder. This opinion may not be relied upon by you for any other purpose.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Heather A. Humphrey

Heather A. Humphrey

Senior Vice President – General Counsel and

Corporate Secretary

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-8 of our reports dated February 21, 2018, relating to the consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule of Great Plains Energy Incorporated and subsidiaries, and the effectiveness of Great Plains Energy Incorporated and subsidiaries’ internal control over financial reporting, appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Great Plains Energy Incorporated for the year ended December 31, 2017.

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-8 of our reports dated February 21, 2018, relating to the consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule of Westar Energy, Inc. and subsidiaries, and the effectiveness of Westar Energy Inc. and subsidiaries’ internal control over financial reporting, appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Westar Energy, Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2017, and our report dated May 29, 2018 appearing in the Annual Report on Form 11-K of Westar Energy, Inc. Employees’ 401(k) Savings Plan for the year ended December 31, 2017.

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-8 of Evergy, Inc. of our report dated June 26, 2017 with respect to the statements of net assets available for benefits of the Great Plains Energy Incorporated 401(k) Savings Plan as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, the related statement of changes in net assets available for benefits for the year ended December 31, 2016, and the Form 5500, Schedule H, Part IV, Line 4i - Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year) as of December 31, 2016, which appear in the Form 11-K of the Great Plains Energy Incorporated 401(k) Savings Plan.

That the undersigned, a Director of Evergy, Inc., a Missouri corporation, does hereby constitute and appoint Anthony D. Somma or Heather A. Humphrey, his true and lawful attorney and agent, with full power and authority to execute in the name and on behalf of the undersigned as such director a Registration Statement on Form S-8, and any amendments thereto, hereby granting unto such attorney and agent full power of substitution and revocation in the premises; and hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney and agent may do or cause to be done by virtue of these presents.

/s/ Terry Bassham

Terry Bassham

That the undersigned, a Director of Evergy, Inc., a Missouri corporation, does hereby constitute and appoint Terry D. Bassham, Anthony D. Somma or Heather A. Humphrey, his true and lawful attorney and agent, with full power and authority to execute in the name and on behalf of the undersigned as such director a Registration Statement on Form S-8, and any amendments thereto, hereby granting unto such attorney and agent full power of substitution and revocation in the premises; and hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney and agent may do or cause to be done by virtue of these presents.

/s/ Mark A. Ruelle

Mark A. Ruelle

That the undersigned, a Director of Evergy, Inc., a Missouri corporation, does hereby constitute and appoint Terry D. Bassham, Anthony D. Somma or Heather A. Humphrey, her true and lawful attorney and agent, with full power and authority to execute in the name and on behalf of the undersigned as such director a Registration Statement on Form S-8, and any amendments thereto, hereby granting unto such attorney and agent full power of substitution and revocation in the premises; and hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney and agent may do or cause to be done by virtue of these presents.

/s/ Mollie H. Carter

Mollie H. Carter

/s/ Charles Q. Chandler

Charles Q. Chandler

/s/ Gary D. Forsee

Gary D. Forsee

/s/ Scott D. Grimes

Scott D. Grimes

/s/ Richard L. Hawley

Richard L. Hawley

/s/ Thomas D. Hyde

Thomas D. Hyde

/s/ Anthony Isaac

Anthony Isaac

/s/ Sarah A. J. Lawrence

Sarah A. J. Lawrence

/s/ Ann D. Murtlow

Ann D. Murtlow

/s/ Sandra J. Price

Sandra J. Price

/s/ John J. Sherman

John J. Sherman

/s/ S. Carl Soderstrom, Jr.

S. Carl Soderstrom, Jr.

The purposes of the Plan are to encourage officers, employees and non-employee directors of the Company to acquire proprietary and vested interest in the growth and performance of the Company, to generate an increased incentive to enhance the value of the Company for the benefit of its customers and shareholders, and to aid in the attraction and retention of exceptionally qualified individuals upon whom the Company’s success largely depends.

As a result of and effective upon the consummation of Great Plains Energy Incorporated’s merger into Evergy, Inc., the Great Plains Energy Incorporated Long-Term Incentive Plan, as amended, is amended and restated as this Evergy, Inc. Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). All existing elections under this Plan (including elections made while the Plan was called the Great Plains Energy Incorporated Long-Term Incentive Plan, as amended) shall continue in effect without change and apply as elections under the Plan.

“Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as it may be amended from time to time.

“Award” means the award to a Participant of Bonus Shares, Director Shares, Dividend Equivalents, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Performance Shares, Other Stock-Based Awards or Director Deferred Share Units.

“Award Agreement” means a written or electronic agreement or instrument between the Company and a Participant which evidences an Award and sets forth such applicable terms, conditions and limitations (including treatment as a Performance Award) as the Committee establishes for the Award.

“Award Period” means that period established by the Committee during which any performance or continuous service goals specified with respect to earning any Award are to be measured.

“Bonus Shares” means Shares that are awarded to a Participant without cost and without restriction in recognition of past or expected future performance (whether determined by reference to another employee benefit plan of the Company or otherwise) or as an incentive to become an employee of the Company or a Subsidiary as permitted by applicable law.

“Cause” means unless otherwise defined in a Participant’s employment agreement or change in control severance agreement with the Company, in which case such definition will apply, (i) the material misappropriation of any of the Company’s funds or property; (ii) the conviction of, or the entering of a guilty plea or plea of no contest with respect to, a felony, or the equivalent thereof; (iii) commission of an act of willful damage, willful misrepresentation, willful dishonesty, or other willful conduct that can reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business, reputation, or financial situation of the Company; or (iv) gross negligence or willful misconduct in performance of a Participant’s duties; provided, however, “cause” shall not exist under clause (iv), above, with respect to an act or failure to act unless (A) the Participant has been provided written notice describing in sufficient detail the acts or failure to act giving rise to the Company’s assertion of such gross negligence or misconduct, (B) been provided a reasonable period to remedy any such occurrence and (C) failed to sufficiently remedy the occurrence.

“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Reference in the Plan to any section of the Code shall be deemed to include any successor provisions to such section and any regulations promulgated thereunder.

“Committee” means (i) the Compensation and Leadership Development Committee or the independent members of the Board, composed in each case of not less than two directors, each of whom is a “non-employee director” (within the meaning of Rule 16b-3(b)(3) under the Exchange Act) or (ii) any other committee of the Board to whom the Board has delegated its authority under this Plan.

“Common Stock” means the common stock, without par value, of the Company, or such other class of shares or other securities as may be subject to the Plan as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to the provisions of Section Sixteen H.

“Company” means Evergy, Inc. (a successor to Great Plains Energy Incorporated due to Great Plains Energy Incorporated’s merger into Evergy, Inc.), and its successors, including any Company as provided in Section Sixteen I.

“Date of Disability” means the date on which a Participant is classified as disabled as defined in the Company’s Long-Term Disability Plan.

“Date of Grant” means, unless the Committee otherwise specifies a later Date of Grant in the Committee’s applicable granting resolution, the date on which an Award is granted by the Committee.

“Date of Retirement” means the date of normal retirement or early retirement as defined in the Company’s pension plan.

“Director” means a member of the Board, a member of the board of directors of any Subsidiary, or any honorary, advisory or emeritus director of the Company or any Subsidiary.

“Director Deferred Share Unit” means, pursuant to Section Thirteen of this Plan, a Non-Employee Director’s right to receive a payment following the Non-Employee Director’s termination from service as a Director, in cash or Shares, of an amount equal to the Fair Market Value of one Share.

“Director Equity Payment Fees” means any fees payable to a Non-Employee Director in the form of Common Stock for his or her service as a Director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

“Director Shares” means, pursuant to Section Thirteen of the Plan, Shares issued to a Director, as payment for serving as a Director.

“Disability” means that a Participant is classified as disabled as defined in the Company’s Long-Term Disability Plan.

“Dividend Equivalent” means a right granted appurtenant to an Award to receive payments equal to dividends or property paid with respect to Shares underlying such Award, at such time and on such terms and conditions as set forth in the Award Agreement.

“Eligible Employee” means any officer of, or any person employed by, the Company or any Subsidiary during any portion of an Award Period. Solely for purposes of Substitute Awards, the term Eligible Employee includes any current or former Employee of an Acquired Entity (as defined in the definition of Substitute Awards) who holds Acquired Entity Awards (as defined in the definition of Substitute Awards) immediately prior to the Acquisition Date (as defined in the definition of Substitute Awards).

“Executive Officer” means (i) the president of the Company, any vice president of the Company, including any vice president of the Company in charge of a principal business unit, division or function (such as sales, administration, or finance), any other officer who performs a policy making function or any other Person who performs similar policy making functions for the Company, (ii) Executive Officers (as defined in part (i) of this definition) of subsidiaries of the Company who perform policy making functions for the Company, and (iii) any Person designated or identified by the Board as being an “executive officer” for purposes of the Act or the Exchange Act, including any Person designated or identified by the Board as being a Section 16 Person.

“Fair Market Value” means, as of any date, the value of a Share or Shares determined in good faith by the Committee in its sole discretion. Such determination shall be conclusive and binding on all persons. For this purpose, the Committee may adopt such formulas as in its opinion shall reflect the true fair market value of such Share or Shares from time to time and may rely on such independent advice with respect to such fair market value determination as the Committee shall deem appropriate. To the extent that Shares are readily tradable on an established securities market, the fair market value of the Shares may be determined based upon the first sale on the day of determination, the closing market price on the trading day before or the trading day of the day of determination, the arithmetic mean of the high and low prices on the trading day before or the trading day of determination or any other reasonable method using actual transactions in such Shares as reported by such market. To the extent that Shares are not readily tradable on an established market, the fair market value of a Share or Shares as of a valuation date means a value determined by the reasonable application of a reasonable valuation method. The determination whether a valuation method is reasonable, or whether an application of a valuation method is reasonable, is made based on the facts and circumstances as of the valuation date.

“Good Reason” means, without a Participant’s written consent and unless otherwise defined in a Participant’s employment agreement or change in control severance agreement with the Company (in which case such definition will apply), any of the following:

(1) Any material and adverse reduction or material and adverse diminution in a Participant’s position (including status, offices, titles and reporting requirements), authority, duties or responsibilities held, exercised or assigned at any time during the 90-day period immediately preceding the Change in Control;

(2) Any reduction in a Participant’s annual base salary as in effect immediately preceding the Change in Control or as the same may be increased from time to time; or

(3) A Participant being required by the Company to be based at any office or location that is more than 70 miles from the location where the Participant was employed immediately preceding the Change in Control.

Provided, however, notwithstanding the occurrence of any of the events set forth above in this definition, Good Reason shall not include for the purpose of this definition (1) an isolated, insubstantial and inadvertent action not taken in bad faith and which is remedied by the Company promptly after receipt of notice thereof given by the Participant, or (2) any reduction in the Participant’s base annual salary or reduction in benefits received by the Participant where such reduction is in connection with a company-wide reduction in salaries or benefits.

“Incentive Stock Option” means an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.

“Merger Effective Date” means the effective date of the merger of Great Plains Energy Incorporated into Evergy, Inc.

“Non-Employee Director” means a Director who is not employed as an Employee by the Company or any Subsidiary. Solely for purposes of Substitute Awards, the term Non-Employee Director includes any current or former non-employee director of an Acquired Entity (as defined in the definition of Substitute Awards) who holds Acquired Entity Awards (as defined in the definition of Substitute Awards) immediately prior to the Acquisition Date (as defined in the definition of Substitute Awards).

“Option” or “Stock Option” means either a non-qualified stock option or an Incentive Stock Option granted under Section Eight.

“Option Period” or “Option Periods” means the period or periods during which an Option is exercisable as described in Section Eight E.

“Option Price” means the price at which a Share may be purchased by a Participant pursuant to an Option.

“Other Stock-Based Award” means any award of Shares or payment of cash that is valued in whole or in part by reference to, or is otherwise based on, Shares, other property, or achievement of performance metrics or measures.

“Participant” means an Eligible Employee or Non-Employee Director who has been granted an Award under the Plan.

“Plan” means the Evergy, Inc. Long-Term Incentive Plan. This Plan document becomes operative upon the Merger Effective Date and is a continuation in all respects of the Great Plains Energy Incorporated Long-Term Incentive Plan, as amended.

“Performance Award” means any Award that will be issued or granted, or become vested or payable, as the case may be, upon the achievement of certain performance goals (as described in Section Twelve B) to a Participant pursuant to Section Twelve.

“Person” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof, including “group” as defined in Section 13(d) thereof.

“Restricted Stock Unit” or “RSU” means an Award granted under Section Seven evidencing the Participant’s right to receive a Share (or, at the Committee’s discretion, a cash payment equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share) at some future date and that is subject to those restrictions set forth therein and the Award Agreement.

“Section 16 Person” means a Person who is subject to obligations under Section 16 of the Exchange Act with respect to transactions involving equity securities of the Company.

“Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means a right granted as an Award under the Plan to receive, as of the date specified in the Award Agreement and with respect to each SAR exercised, an amount equal to the excess of (a) the Fair Market Value of a Share on the Exercise Date, over (b) the SAR’s Strike Price.

“Strike Price” means the per-Share price used as the baseline measure for the value of a SAR, as specified in the Award Agreement.

“Subsidiary” means any corporation of which 50 percent or more of its outstanding voting stock or voting power is beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company.

“Substitute Award” means an Award granted under the Plan in substitution for stock or stock-based awards (“Acquired Entity Awards”) held by current and former employees or former non-employee directors of another corporation or entity who become Employees or Non-Employee Directors as the result of a merger or consolidation of the employing corporation or

other entity (the “Acquired Entity”) with the Company or a Subsidiary, or the acquisition by the Company or a Subsidiary of property or stock of, or other ownership interest in, the Acquired Entity immediately prior to such merger, consolidation, or acquisition (“Acquisition Date”) as agreed to by the parties to such corporate transaction and as may be set forth in the definitive purchase agreement. The limitations of Section Five on the number of Shares reserved or available for grants, and the limitations under Section Eight C and Section Nine C with respect to the Option Price and Strike Price, shall not apply to Substitute Awards. Any issuance of a Substitute Award which relates to an Option or a SAR shall be completed in conformity with the rules under Code Section 409A relating to the substitutions and assumptions of stock rights by reason of a corporate transaction.

“Termination” means resignation or discharge from employment with the Company or any one of its Subsidiaries, except in the event of death, disability, or retirement.

The Plan originally became effective on May 5, 1992 and was subsequently amended effective on May 7, 2002, May 1, 2007, May 3, 2011, and January 1, 2014. This amended and restated Plan became effective on May 3, 2016 and, except as expressly specified otherwise, applies only with respect to Awards granted after such date. This amended and restated Plan document became effective as of the Merger Effective Date.

The Plan shall continue in effect until all matters relating to the payment of Awards and administration of the Plan have been settled.

The Plan shall be administered by the Committee for, and on behalf of, the Board. The Committee shall have all of the powers (other than amending or terminating this Plan as provided in Section Fifteen) respecting the Plan, including, but not limited to those specific powers set forth below. All questions of interpretation and application of the Plan, or of the terms and conditions pursuant to which Awards are granted, exercised or forfeited under the provisions hereof, shall be subject to the determination of the Committee. Any such determination shall be final and binding upon all parties affected thereby.

Without limitation, the Committee shall have full power and authority and sole discretion as follows:

Notwithstanding the general administrative powers discussed above, the Board may, by resolution, expressly delegate to a special committee consisting of two or more directors, who may also be officers of the Company, the authority, within specified parameters, to (i) grant Eligible Employees Awards under the Plan, and (ii) determine the number of such Awards to be received by any such participants; provided, however, that if such delegation of duties and responsibilities is to officers of the Company or to directors who are not “non-employee directors” (within the meaning of Rule 16b-3(b)(3) under the Exchange Act), such officers or directors may not grant Awards to eligible participants who are subject to Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act at the time of grant. The acts of such delegates shall be treated hereunder as acts of the Board and such delegates shall report regularly to the Board and the Compensation and Leadership Development Committee regarding the delegated duties and responsibilities and any Awards so granted.

The Committee may, from time to time, grant Awards to one or more Eligible Employees or Non-Employee Directors, provided that (i) subject to any adjustment pursuant to Section Sixteen H, the aggregate number of Shares available for Awards under this Plan may not exceed 4,784,800 Shares (the “Maximum Limitation”); (ii) Shares tendered with respect to the payment of any Option Price, Shares withheld for any taxes, Shares repurchased by the Company using Option Price proceeds, and all Shares underlying any portion of a SAR or Option that is settled in Shares (regardless of the actual number of net Shares delivered upon exercise) shall count against this Maximum Limitation, (iii) to the extent that an award lapses or the rights of the Participant to whom it was granted terminate, any Shares subject to such Award shall not be counted as having been granted under the Plan and shall not be reduced from the Maximum Limitation; (iv) any Share required to satisfy Substitute Awards shall not count against the Maximum Limitation; and (v) Shares delivered by the Company under the Plan may be authorized but unissued Shares, Shares held in the treasury of the Company or Shares purchased on the open market (including private purchases) in accordance with applicable securities laws. In determining the size of the Awards, the Committee shall assess the performance of the Eligible Employees (which may include continuous service) against criteria to be established by the Committee, from time to time, based on the Company’s performance (such as shareholder and customer-related factors) and shall take into account a Participant’s responsibility level, potential, cash compensation level, and the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock at the time of Awards, as well as such other considerations as it deems appropriate. The maximum number of Shares with respect to which an Award or Awards (other than a Substitute Award) may be granted to any Participant in any single calendar year shall not exceed 299,050 Shares (increased, proportionately, in the event of any stock split or stock dividend with respect to the Shares in accordance with Section Sixteen H). The maximum number of Shares that may be subject to grants of Incentive Stock Options is the Maximum Limitation.

Except with respect to an Award of Restricted Stock, a participant or a transferee of a Participant shall have no rights as a shareholder with respect to any Shares covered by an Award until the date the Award is exercised, becomes vested or is settled, as the case may be, except as provided in Section Sixteen A.

Subject to the provisions of the Plan and to the extent expressly provided in the applicable Award Agreement, the recipient of an Award other than an Option or SAR may, if so determined by the Committee, be entitled to receive, currently or on a deferred basis, Dividend Equivalents with respect to the number of Shares covered by the Award, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. The Committee may provide that the Dividend Equivalents (if any) shall be deemed to have been reinvested in additional Shares or otherwise reinvested and may provide that the Dividend Equivalents are subject to the same vesting or performance conditions as the underlying Award. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Dividend Equivalents credited in connection with an Award that vests based on the achievement of performance goals shall be subject to restrictions and risk of forfeiture to the same extent as the Award with respect to which such Dividend Equivalents have been credited.

Solely with respect to Performance Shares granted under Section Ten, and unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement (i) if the Award Agreement provides for the payment of Dividend Equivalents, such Dividend Equivalents will be equal to the dividends paid during the entire Award Period for which the Performance Shares relate and not just that period of time after the Performance Shares were granted and (ii) at the end of an Award Period and provided the Performance Shares have not been forfeited in accordance with the terms of this Plan, the Participant shall be paid in a lump sum cash payment, or, if specified by the Committee, in an equivalent number of Shares based on the value of the Performance Shares otherwise vesting as of the payment date, the aggregate amount of such hypothetical dividend equivalents.

Eligible Employees and Non-Employee Directors of the Company and its Subsidiaries (including officers or salaried full-time employees who are members of the Board) shall be eligible to receive Awards. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall from time to time select from such eligible persons those to whom Awards shall be granted and determine the amount of such Awards. In no event shall the existence of this Plan create an obligation or duty of the Committee or the Company to grant an Award to any person under this Plan.

The Committee may grant an Award of one or more Shares of Restricted Stock to any Eligible Employee or Non-Employee Director.

A Restricted Stock Award made pursuant to this Section Seven shall be in the form of Shares, restricted as provided herein. The Restricted Stock shall be issued in the name of the Participant and shall, to the extent certificated, bear a restrictive legend or, to the extent uncertificated, contain instructions, prohibiting sale, transfer, pledge or hypothecation of the Restricted Stock until the expiration of the restriction period, or shall be placed in escrow or other custodial arrangements prohibiting such sale, transfer, pledge or hypothecation.

The Committee may also impose such other restriction and conditions on the restricted stock as it deems appropriate.

Upon issuance to the Participant of Restricted Stock, the Participant shall have the right to vote the Restricted Stock.

Each Restricted Stock award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement between the Company and the Participant containing the terms and conditions as may be determined by the Committee, including, without limitation, provisions relating to the vesting of the Restricted Stock and any special vesting conditions or rights associated with the Award.

The Committee may grant an Award of one or more Restricted Stock Units to any Eligible Employee or Non-Employee Director. Such grant of Restricted Stock Units may be made in connection with or separate from a grant of Restricted Stock.

The Company shall establish an account (“RSU Account”) on its books for each Participant who receives a grant of Restricted Stock Units. Restricted Stock Units shall be credited to the Participant RSU Account as of the Date of Grant of such Restricted Stock Units. RSU Accounts shall be maintained for recordkeeping purposes only and the Company shall not be obligated to segregate or set aside assets representing securities or other amounts credited to RSU Accounts. The obligation to make distributions of securities or other amounts credited to RSU Accounts shall be an unfunded, unsecured obligation of the Company.

The Committee may also impose such other restrictions and conditions on the Restricted Stock Units as it deems appropriate.

A Participant shall have no voting rights with respect to any Shares underlying the Restricted Stock Units unless and until such time as the Shares underlying the RSUs are issued.

Except as otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, whenever dividends are paid or distributions are made with respect to Shares, Dividend Equivalents shall be credited to RSU Accounts on all Restricted Stock Units credited thereto, as of the record date for such dividend or distribution. Such Dividend Equivalents shall be credited to the RSU Account either (i) in the form of additional Restricted Stock Units (in a number determined by

dividing the aggregate value of such Dividend Equivalents by the Fair Market Value of a Share at the payment date of such dividend or distribution) or (ii) deferred cash. Any additional RSUs or deferred cash amounts shall be subject to the same restrictions and other terms as apply to the RSUs with respect to which such Dividend Equivalents are credited and in no event will the payment of such property or deferred cash be made before the underlying RSUs are payable.

The Company shall settle an RSU Account by delivering to the holder thereof (which may be the Participant or his or her beneficiary, as applicable) either (i) if settled through the issuance of Shares, a number of Shares equal to the whole number of Shares underlying the Restricted Stock Units then credited to the Participant RSU Account (or a specified portion in the event of any partial settlement); provided that any fractional Shares underlying Restricted Stock Units remaining in the RSU Account on the settlement date shall be distributed in cash in an amount equal to the Fair Market Value of a Share as of the settlement date multiplied by the remaining fractional Restricted Stock Unit, or (ii) if settled through a payment of cash, a payment in an amount equal to the Fair Market Value of the Restricted Stock Units then credited to the Participant RSU Account and then eligible to be settled (or a specified portion in the event of any partial settlement). Subject to any deferral election made by the Participant, the “settlement date” for all Restricted Stock Units credited to the Participant’s RSU Account and that otherwise have not been forfeited shall be when restrictions applicable to an Award of Restricted Stock Units have lapsed in accordance with the terms of the Award Agreement; provided, however, to the extent an RSU is subject to Code Section 409A, no settlement shall be made on account of a disability unless such disability meets the definition of “disability” as defined in Code Section 409A(a)(2)(C)(i)), and no settlement shall be made on account of a retirement or termination of employment unless such retirement or termination of employment constitutes a “separation from service” (as provided in Code Section 409A(a)(2)(A)(i)).

Each Restricted Stock Unit award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement between the Company and the Participant containing the terms and conditions as may be determined by the Committee, including, without limitations, provisions relating to the vesting of the Restricted Stock Units and any special vesting conditions or rights associated with the Award.

At the time Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units are granted, the Committee shall establish a restriction period applicable to such Award which shall not be less than one year nor more than ten years. The restriction period and the restrictions imposed may be based on the achievement of specific performance goals, time-based restrictions following the achievement of specific performance goals, restrictions based on the occurrence of a specified event, and/or restrictions under applicable securities laws. Each Restricted Stock Award or Restricted Stock Unit Award may have a different restriction period or one or more different types of restrictions at the discretion of the Committee. Except with respect to Restricted Stock Awards or Restricted Stock Unit Awards made to new hires or in

connection with other special one-time circumstances, any time-based restrictions (other than time-based restrictions following the achievement of specific performance goals) shall remain in effect (in whole or in part) at least until the first anniversary of the Date of Grant; provided, however, in the event of a Participant’s death, Disability, retirement, or a termination of employment following a Change in Control, all or a portion of the Award may become fully vested as is provided for (i) in this Plan, (ii) in an Award Agreement or (iii) by a determination of the Committee. In the case of Restricted Stock or RSUs awarded based on performance in a performance period, the performance period will not be less than one year.

Except as otherwise provided for in this Plan or the Award Agreement or determined by the Committee, upon the termination of employment of a Participant holding Restricted Stock or RSUs for any reason during the period of time in which some or all of the Shares are subject to restrictions, all Shares of Restricted Stock and all RSUs held by the Participant and still subject to restriction will be forfeited by the Participant and, in the case of Shares of Restricted Stock, reacquired by the Company; provided that in the event of a Participant’s retirement, Disability, death, or in cases of special circumstances, the Committee may, in its discretion, waive in whole or in part any or all of the remaining restrictions or conditions with respect to the Participant’s Shares of Restricted Stock or RSUs.

Upon completion of the restriction period and satisfaction of any other restrictions required by the Award, all restrictions on the Restricted Stock and RSUs will expire and, in the case of Restricted Stock, all applicable restrictions thereon will be removed and, in the case of Restricted Stock Units, the underlying Shares will be issued to the Participant.

The Committee may grant an Award of one or more Options to any Eligible Employee or Non-Employee Director.

Each Option granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement between the Company and the Participant containing such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Committee, including, without limitations, provisions to qualify Incentive Stock Options as such under Section 422 of the Code; provided, however, that each Stock Option shall be subject to the following terms and conditions: (i) the Options are exercisable either in total or in part with a partial exercise not affecting the exercisability of the balance of the Option; (ii) every Share purchased through the exercise of an Option shall be paid for in full at the time of the exercise; (iii) each Option shall cease to be exercisable, as to any Share, at the earliest of (a) the Participant’s purchase of

the Shares to which the Option relates, or (b) the lapse of the Option; and (iv) Options shall not be transferable by the Participant other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution or, if permitted by the Company, pursuant to a domestic relations order validly issued and approved by a court of proper jurisdiction. Non-Employee Directors shall be ineligible to receive Incentive Stock Options. Except with respect to Option Awards made to new hires or in connection with other special one-time circumstances, in no event shall an Option that is subject to a time-based minimum exercise or vesting schedule (other than a time-based exercise or vesting schedule following the achievement of specific performance goals) be fully exercisable/vested earlier than the first anniversary of the Date of Grant; provided, however, in the event of a Participant’s death, Disability, retirement, or a termination of employment following a Change in Control, all or a portion of the Award may become fully exercisable/vested as is provided for (i) in this Plan, (ii) in an Award Agreement or (iii) by a determination of the Committee.

The Option Price per Share shall be set by the grant, but, except with respect to the issuance of a Substitute Award, shall not be less than 100 percent of the Fair Market Value at the Date of Grant.

At the time of an exercise of an Option, the Option Price shall be payable in any manner allowed under applicable law and as permitted by the Committee, including, but not limited to:

In lieu of actually surrendering to the Company the Shares then owned by the Participant, the Committee may, in its discretion permit the Participant to submit to the Company a statement affirming ownership by the Participant of such number of Shares and request that such Shares, although not actually surrendered, be deemed to have been surrendered by the Participant as payment of the exercise price;

Each Option shall become exercisable in such manner and within such Option Period or periods not to exceed ten years from its Date of Grant, as set forth in the Stock Option Agreement.

An Option will lapse upon the first occurrence of one of the following circumstances: (i) ten years from the Date of Grant; (ii) three months following the Participant’s retirement (as retirement is defined in the Award Agreement or other policy of the Company and, in the absence of any such definition, retirement shall be the Participant’s Date of Retirement); (iii) at the time of a Participant’s Termination (other than in connection with a Change in Control as provided in Section Fourteen); (iv) at the expiration of the Option Period set by the grant; or (iv) twelve months from the Date of Disability. If, however, the Participant dies within the Option Period and prior to the lapse of the Option, the Option shall lapse unless it is exercised within the Option Period or twelve months from the date of the Participant’s death, whichever is earlier, by the Participant’s legal representative or representatives or by the person or persons entitled to do so under the Participant’s will or, if the Participant shall fail to make testamentary disposition of such Option or shall die intestate, by the person or persons entitled to receive said Option under the applicable laws of descent and distribution.

If a Participant shall engage in a disqualifying disposition (as such term or successor term is then used under the Code) with respect to any Shares purchased pursuant to an Incentive Stock Option (presently within one year from the date the Shares were acquired or within two years from the Date of Grant of the Option), then, to provide the Company with the opportunity to claim the benefit of any income tax deduction which may be available to it under the circumstances, the Participant shall, within ten days of such disposition, notify the Company of the dates of acquisition and disposition of such Shares, the number of Shares so disposed and the consideration, if any, received therefore.

The aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the time of Award) of the Shares, with respect to which an Incentive Stock Option is exercisable for the first time by a Participant during any calendar year (whether under this Plan or another plan or arrangement of the Company) shall not exceed $100,000 (or such other limit as may be in effect under the Code on the date of Award). In the event the foregoing results in a portion of an Option designated as an Incentive Stock Option exceeding the $100,000 limitation, only such excess shall be treated as a non-qualified stock option.

The granting of an Option shall impose no obligation on the Participant to exercise such Option.

In no event may the Committee, without shareholder approval (i) amend an Option to reduce its Option Price, (ii) cancel an Option and regrant an Option with an Option Price lower than the original Option Price of the cancelled Option, (iii) cancel an Option in exchange for cash or another Award, or (iv) take any other action (whether in the form of an amendment, cancellation, or replacement grant) that has the effect of “repricing” an Option, as defined under the rules of the established stock exchange or quotation system on which the Shares are then listed or traded if such stock exchange’s or quotation system’s rules define what constitutes a repricing shareholder.

The Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant SARs to any Eligible Employee or Non-Employee Director either alone or in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan. The Committee may impose such conditions or restrictions on the exercise of any SAR as it shall deem appropriate. In no event may the compensation payable under a SAR be greater than the excess of the Fair Market Value of the Share on the date the SAR is exercised over the Fair Market Value of the Share on the date of grant of the SAR. The SAR shall not include any feature for the deferral of compensation other than the deferral of recognition of income until the exercise of the SAR.

Each SAR shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement in such form as the Committee may approve, which shall contain such terms and conditions not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan as shall be determined from time to time by the Committee. Unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement no SAR grant shall have a term of more than ten (10) years from the date of grant of the SAR. Except with respect to SAR Awards made to new hires or in connection with other special one-time circumstances, in no event shall a SAR that is subject to a time-based minimum exercise or vesting schedule (other than a time-based exercise or vesting schedule following the achievement of specific performance goals) be fully exercisable/vested earlier than the first anniversary of the Date of Grant; provided, however, in the event of a Participant’s death, Disability, retirement, or a termination of employment following a Change in Control, all or a portion of the Award may become fully exercisable/vested as is provided for (i) in this Plan, (ii) in an Award Agreement or (iii) by a determination of the Committee.

The Strike Price of a SAR shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion; provided that, except with respect to a Substitute Award, the Strike Price shall not be less than 100 percent of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the Date of Grant of the SAR.

Except as may otherwise be provided by the Committee in an Award Agreement, SARs shall be exercised by the delivery of a written notice to the Company, setting forth the number of Shares with respect to which the SAR is to be exercised. Payments made in connection with the exercise of a SAR shall be made on or as soon as administratively practicable following the exercise date. Any payment by the Company in respect of a SAR may be made in cash, Shares, other property, or any combination thereof, as the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall determine.

In no event may the Committee, without shareholder approval (i) amend a SAR to reduce its Strike Price, (ii) cancel a SAR and regrant a SAR with an Strike Price lower than the original Strike Price of the cancelled SAR, (iii) cancel a SAR in exchange for cash or another Award, or (iv) take any other action (whether in the form of an amendment, cancellation, or replacement grant) that has the effect of “repricing” a SAR, as defined under the rules of the established stock exchange or quotation system on which the Shares are then listed or traded if such stock exchange’s or quotation system’s rules define what constitutes a repricing.

The Committee may grant an Award of one or more Performance Shares to any Eligible Employee or Non-Employee Director.

A Performance Share is the right to receive a payment from the Company with respect to such Performance Share subject to satisfaction of such terms and conditions as the Committee may determine. Performance Shares shall be credited to a Performance Share account to be maintained for each Participant. Each Performance Share shall be deemed to be equivalent of one Share. Unless specifically provided in an Award Agreement, the Award of Performance Shares under the Plan shall not entitle the participant to any interest in or to any dividend, voting, or other rights of a shareholder of the Company.

A grant of Performance Shares may be made by the Committee during the term of the Plan, even if the applicable Award Period extends beyond the term of the Plan.

The Participant shall be entitled to receive payment for each Performance Share of an amount based on the achievement of performance measures for such Award Period as determined by the Committee. During or before the Award Period, the Committee shall have the right to establish requirements or other criteria for measuring such performance.

Each Performance Share shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement in such form as the Committee may approve, which shall contain such terms and conditions not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan as shall be determined from time to time by the Committee.

Unless a Performance Share Award Agreement is specifically amended to comply with the conditions under Code Section 409A to avoid the additive income taxes imposed thereunder, any payment relating to Performance Shares shall be made as soon as practicable following the end of the Award Period but in no event will any payment relating to Performance Shares be made later than the last day of the applicable 2 ¹⁄₂ month period set forth in Treasury Regulations § 1.409A-1(a)(4).

The payment to which a Participant shall be entitled at the end of an Award Period shall be a dollar amount equal to the number of Performance Shares earned, multiplied by the Fair Market Value of a Share on the payment date. Payment shall normally be made in Shares. The Committee, however, in its sole discretion, may authorize payment in such combinations of cash and Shares or all in cash as it deems appropriate.

Except as provided in Section Fourteen (Change in Control) or in special circumstances as otherwise determined by the Committee including, without limitation, a Participant’s retirement, Disability or death, (i) upon the termination of employment of a Participant holding Performance Shares for any reason before some or all of the Performance Shares have been paid, all Performance Shares (other than any vested Performance Shares for which a valid deferral election has been made and which are scheduled to be paid in the future) which have not been paid will be forfeited by the Participant. In special circumstances as otherwise determined by the Committee including, without limitation, the Participant’s retirement, Disability or death, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, (i) accelerate payment with respect to some or all of the Performance Shares, (ii) provide that the payout of any Performance Shares will be prorated for service during the Award Period and paid at the end of the Award Period, or (iii) provide that a Participant is entitled to a full payout (or less than full payout) at the end of the Award Period of all Performance Shares based on the level of achievement of the established performance goals.

Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee may grant Bonus Shares to any Eligible Employee or Non-Employee Director, in such amount and upon such terms and at any time and from time to time as shall be determined by the Committee. Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee may also grant to an Eligible Employee or Non-Employee Director, in such amount and upon such terms and at any time and from time to time as shall be determined by the Committee any Other Stock-Based Award.

A Bonus Share Award may be evidenced by an Award Agreement or other form of communication as the Committee may approve. An Other Stock-Based Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement in such form as the Committee may approve, which shall contain such terms and conditions not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan as shall be determined from time to time by the Committee.

The Committee may grant one or more Performance Awards to any Eligible Employee or Non-Employee Director.

Except as provided in Section Fourteen (Change in Control), Performance Awards will be issued or granted, or become vested or payable, only after the end of the relevant Award Period. The established performance goals for each Award Period and the amount payable upon satisfaction of those performance goals shall be conclusively determined by the Committee. When the Committee determines whether a performance goal has been satisfied for any Award Period, the Committee may make such determination using calculations which include or exclude an event or transaction that is either of an unusual nature or of a type that indicates infrequency of occurrence (under generally accepted accounting principles (United States) (“GAAP”) and as described in Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Subtopic 225-20 (or any successor provision) or in management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations appearing in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the applicable fiscal year). The Committee also may establish performance goals that are determined using GAAP or other non-GAAP financial measures and may include or exclude mark-to-market gains and losses on energy contracts, any unusual or non-recurring items, including the charges or costs associated with restructurings of the Company, discontinued operations, and the cumulative effects of accounting changes and, further, may take into account changes in applicable tax laws or accounting principles or such other items and factors as the Committee may determine reasonable and appropriate under the circumstances (including any factors that could result in the Company’s paying non-deductible compensation to an Employee or Non-Employee Director).

If an Award is subject to this Section Twelve, then the lapsing of restrictions thereon, or the vesting thereof, and the distribution of cash, Shares or other property pursuant thereto, as applicable, shall be subject to the achievement of one or more objective performance goals established by the Committee and which may be based on the attainment of one or any combination of performance metrics as determined by the Committee (the “Performance Measures”). While not intended to be exhaustive, the Committee may establish Performance Measures calculated on a GAAP or non-GAAP basis, on an absolute or relative basis for the Company as a whole or any of its subsidiaries, operating divisions or other operating units, and/or in a manner that may be measured in the aggregate or on a per Share basis. Performance Measures may include, but are not limited to:

provided that applicable Performance Measures may be applied on a pre- or post-tax basis; and provided further that the Committee may, when the applicable Performance Measures are established, provide that the formula for such Performance Measures may include or exclude items to measure specific objectives, including but not limited to losses from discontinued operations, extraordinary gains or losses, the cumulative effect of accounting changes, acquisitions or divestitures, foreign exchange impacts, mark-to-market gains and losses from energy contracts, and any unusual, nonrecurring gain or loss. In addition to the foregoing Performance Measures, the Performance Measures may also include any other performance goal(s) established by the Committee.

Except as provided in Section Sixteen H (Changes in Capital Structure) and Section Fourteen (Change in Control) or as provided for in the immediately following sentence, with respect to any Award that is subject to this Section Twelve, the Committee may not adjust upwards the amount payable pursuant to such Award, nor may it waive the achievement of the applicable performance goals except in the case of the death or Disability of the Participant. The Committee may, at the time it initially establishes one or more Performance Measures, provide that the amount payable upon achievement of such Performance Measures may be increased in the discretion of the Committee or that the achievement of the applicable Performance Measures may be waived. If the Committee does not specifically provide for such flexibility at the time it establishes one or more Performance Measures, the Committee will not be permitted to adjust upwards the amount payable pursuant to the Award nor waive the achievement of the applicable Performance Measures except in the case of the death or Disability of the Participant or a Change in Control.

To the extent the Company is eligible to take advantage of the “performance-based compensation” exception to Code Section 162(m) for a written binding contract in effect on November 2, 2017, or otherwise, the Committee, or a subcommittee thereof, composed solely of individuals qualifying as “outside directors” within the meaning of Code Section 162(m) as in effect on December 31, 2017, may establish performance goals, certify any performance results and take any other actions necessary or desirable for eligibility for such performance-based compensation exception and in conformity with the applicable Code Section 162(m) guidance.

Each Non-Employee Director may elect to have his/her Director Equity Payment Fees (i) paid on a current basis in the form of Director Shares, or, pursuant to this Section Thirteen, on a deferred basis. Any election to have Director Equity Payment Fees converted into Director Deferred Share Units and paid on a deferred basis shall be made in accordance with Section Thirteen B below. In the absence of any election made by a Non-Employee Director, all Director Equity Payment Fees will be paid on a current basis through the issuance of Director Shares.

Each Non-Employee Director that desires to convert all or a portion of his or her Director Equity Payment Fees into Director Deferred Share Units shall make such conversion election on the Director’s “Deferred Equity Payment Election Form” (the “Election Form”) and file such Election Form with the Plan Administrator before the first day of the calendar year in which services related to the Director Equity Payment Fees to be converted and deferred are to be performed. Such Election Form shall remain in effect for subsequent calendar years until a written notice to revise the Election Form is delivered to the Plan Administrator before the first day of the calendar year in which the services related to the Director Equity Payment Fees subject to the revision are performed. As of each December 31, the election becomes irrevocable with respect to Director Equity Payment Fees payable with respect to services performed in the immediately following calendar year.

Subject to the rules in Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-2(a)(7) relating to whether a service provider has previously been eligible to participate in the same type of nonqualified deferred compensation arrangement as described in this Section Thirteen, notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, an election made by an individual in the calendar year in which he or she first becomes a Non-Employee Director may be made pursuant to an Election Form delivered to the Company within thirty (30) days after the date on which he or she becomes a Non-Employee Director and shall be effective with respect to Director Equity Payment Fees earned from and after the date such Election Form is delivered to the Company.

Any Director Equity Payment Fees that are to be converted into Director Deferred Share Units shall be so converted on each day the Director Equity Payment Fees would otherwise have been payable to the Director. The number of Director Deferred Share Units to be granted to a Non-Employee Director shall be equal to the number of Shares that otherwise would have been payable on such day to the Director.

The Company will create and maintain on its books a Director Deferred Share Unit Account for each Non-Employee Director who has made an election to convert Director Equity Payment Fees into Director Deferred Share Units. The Company will credit to such account the number of Director Deferred Share Units earned pursuant to the Non-Employee’s Director’s conversion election.

As of the date any dividend is paid to holders of Shares, each Director Deferred Share Unit Account, regardless of whether the Non-Employee Director is then a Director, will be credited with additional Director Deferred Share Units equal to the number of Shares that could have been purchased with the amount which would have been paid as dividends on a number of Shares (including fractions of a share to three decimals) equal to the number of Director Deferred Share Units credited to such Director Deferred Share Unit Account as of the record date applicable to such dividend. The number of additional Director Deferred Share Units to be credited will be calculated to three decimals by dividing the amount which would have been paid as dividends by the Fair Market Value of one Share as of the applicable dividend payment date. In the case of dividends paid in property other than cash, the amount of the dividend shall be deemed to be the fair market value of the property at the time of the payment of the dividend, as determined in good faith by the Committee.

On the January 31^st next following the date the Non-Employee Director’s service on the Board terminates for any reason, all of a Director’s Director Deferred Share Units credited to the Non-Employee’s Director Deferred Share Unit Account shall be converted into an equal amount of Shares and all whole Shares shall be distributed, in kind, to the Non-Employee Director, or to his beneficiaries in the event of his death, in a single lump sum.

A Non-Employee Director shall be entitled to change the time and form of distribution under Sections Thirteen F. and G., except in the event of a change in control under Section Thirteen F.4., if:

A Non-Employee Director may only choose a form of distribution permitted under Section Thirteen. For the avoidance of doubt, (i) no subsequent deferral election made within the 12 month period ending on the date of a Non-Employee Director’s termination of service shall be effective and (ii) upon a Non-Employee Director’s termination of service, no additional subsequent deferral elections may be made.

Director Deferred Share Units deferred in separate calendar years after December 31, 2013, and Director Deferred Share Units deferred in calendar years before January 1, 2014, will be treated as separately identifiable amounts. A Non-Employee Director may change the time and form of payment with respect to each separately identifiable amount.

Except for purposes of the Company’s Director Stock Ownership guidelines, Director Deferred Share Units are not, and do not constitute, Shares, and no right as holder of Shares devolves upon a Non-Employee Director by reason of having Director Share Units credited to his or her account.

Except where the Committee expressly provides otherwise that no accelerated vesting or exercisability shall occur in connection with a termination following a Change in Control, in the event that, within the period commencing on a Change in Control (as defined below) of the Company and ending on the second anniversary of the Change in Control, a Participant’s employment with the Company or one of its affiliates is terminated other than for Cause, or the Participant voluntarily resigns for Good Reason, then (i) all Stock Options and SARs then outstanding shall become fully exercisable; (ii) all restrictions (other than restrictions imposed by law) and conditions of all Restricted Stock Awards, Restricted Stock Unit Awards and Other Stock-Based Awards then outstanding shall be deemed satisfied as of the date of the Participant’s termination of employment; and (iii) all Performance Share Awards shall be deemed to have been fully earned at target as of the date of the Participant’s termination of employment, subject to the limitation that any Award which has been outstanding less than the six month anniversary of the Award’s Date of Grant on the date of the Participant’s termination of employment shall not be afforded such treatment.

For purposes of this Plan, a “Change in Control” means the occurrence of one of the following events, whether in a single transaction or a series of related transactions:

1. any Person (as such term is defined in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner (as such term is defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (not including in the securities beneficially owned by such Person any securities acquired directly from the Company or its affiliates other than in connection with the acquisition by the Company or its affiliates of a business) representing 35 percent or more of either the then outstanding Shares of the Company or the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities; or

2. the following individuals cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the number of directors then serving: individuals who, on the date hereof, constitute the Board and any new director (other than a director whose initial assumption of office is in connection with an actual or threatened election contest, including but not limited to a consent solicitation, relating to the election of directors of the Company, as such terms are used in Rule 14a-11 of Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act) whose appointment or election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the directors then still in office who either were directors on the date hereof or whose appointment, election or nomination for election was previously so approved; or

3. the consummation of a merger, consolidation, reorganization or similar corporate transaction of the Company, whether or not the Company is the surviving corporation in such transaction, other than (A) a merger, consolidation, or reorganization that would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity or any parent thereof), in combination with the ownership of any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit

plan of the Company, at least 60 percent of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the Company or such surviving entity or any parent thereof outstanding immediately after such merger, consolidation or reorganization, or (B) a merger, consolidation or reorganization effected to implement a recapitalization of the Company (or similar transaction) in which no Person is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (not including in the securities Beneficially Owned by such Person any securities acquired directly from the Company or its affiliates other than in connection with the acquisition by the Company or its affiliates of a business) representing 20 percent or more of either the then outstanding Shares of the Company or the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities; or

4. the occurrence of, or the shareholders of the Company approve a Plan of, a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, other than a sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets to an entity, at least 60 percent of the combined voting power of the voting securities of which are owned by Persons in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the Company immediately prior to such sale.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, no “Change in Control” shall be deemed to have occurred if there is consummated any transaction or series of integrated transactions immediately following which the record holders of the Common Stock immediately prior to such transaction or series of transactions continue to have substantially the same proportionate ownership in an entity which owns all or substantially all of the assets of the Company immediately following such transaction or series of transactions.

The Board may at any time and from time to time alter, amend, suspend or terminate the Plan in whole or in part, except (i) no such action may be taken without shareholder approval which increases the number of Shares which may be issued pursuant to the Plan (except as provided in Section Sixteen H (Changes in Capital Structure)), extends the period for granting Incentive Stock Options under the Plan, modifies the requirements as to eligibility for participation in the Plan, or requires shareholder approval under any law or regulation in effect at the time such amendment is proposed for adoption; (ii) no such action may be taken without the consent of the Participant to whom any Award shall theretofore have been granted, which materially and adversely affects the rights of such Participant concerning such Award, except as such termination or amendment of the Plan is required by statute, or rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; and (iii) no such action may be taken if the proposed amendment must be in the discretion of the Committee to comply with the disinterested administration requirements of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act.

The recipient of an Award may, if so determined by the Committee, be entitled to receive, currently or on a deferred basis, dividends or their equivalents, with respect to the number of Shares covered by the Award and subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement.

No benefit provided under this Plan shall be subject to alienation or assignment by a Participant (or by any person entitled to such benefit pursuant to the terms of this Plan), nor shall it be subject to attachment or other legal process of whatever nature. Any attempted alienation, assignment or attachment shall be void and of no effect whatsoever. Notwithstanding the above, Stock Options (other than Incentive Stock Options) may be transferred as provided in any Stock Option Agreement.

Payment shall be made to the Participant entitled to receive the same or to the Participant’s authorized legal representative. Deposit of any sum in any financial institution to the credit of any Participant (or of a person entitled to such sum pursuant to the terms of this Plan) shall constitute payment to that Participant (or such person).

Neither this Plan, any Award Agreement nor any action taken hereunder shall be construed as giving any right to be retained as an officer or Employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.

The Company shall be authorized to withhold under the Plan the amount of withholding taxes due in respect of an Award or payment hereunder and to take such other actions as may be necessary in the opinion of the Company to satisfy all obligations for the payment of taxes.

The Committee in its sole discretion may provide that when taxes are to be withheld in connection with the exercise of an Option or an SAR, or upon the lapse of restrictions on an Award, or upon payment of Performance Shares or any other benefit or right under this Plan (the Exercise Date, date such restrictions lapse or the date of such payment of Performance Shares or any other benefit or right occurs hereinafter referred to as the “Tax Date”), the Participant may elect to make payment for the withholding of federal, state and local taxes, including Social Security and Medicare (“FICA”) taxes by one or a combination of the following methods:

The Committee in its sole discretion may provide that the maximum amount of tax withholding upon exercise of an Option or a SAR payable in Shares, or upon the lapse of restrictions on an Award, or upon payment of Performance Shares or any other benefit or right paid in Shares to be satisfied by withholding Shares pursuant to clause (iii) above shall not exceed the minimum amount of taxes, including FICA taxes, required to be withheld under federal, state and local law. An election by Participant under this subsection is irrevocable. Any fractional Share amount and any additional withholding not paid by the withholding or surrender of Shares must be paid in cash. If no timely election is made, the Participant must deliver cash to satisfy all tax withholding requirements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee has the continuing authority to require a Participant to pay withholding taxes in cash regardless of the Participant’s prior election to satisfy such withholding taxes in Shares.

Any Grantee who makes a disqualifying disposition (as referenced in Section Eight G, or an election under Section 83(b) of the Code with respect to a Restricted Stock Award shall remit to the Company an amount sufficient to satisfy all resulting tax withholding requirements, if any, in the same manner as set forth above.

The obligation of the Company to make payment of Awards in Common Stock or otherwise shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any government agencies as may be required. Except as required by law, the Company shall be under no obligation to register under the Act, any of the Shares issued, delivered or paid in settlement under the Plan. If Common Stock granted under the Plan may in certain circumstances be exempt from registration under the Act, the Company may restrict its transfer in such manner as it deems advisable to ensure such exempt status.

Each person who is or at any time serves as a member of the Committee shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company against and from (i) any loss, cost liability, or expenses that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by such person in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit, or proceeding to which such person may be a party or in which such person may be involved by reason of any action or failure to act under the Plan; and (ii) any and all amounts paid by such person in satisfaction of judgment in any such action, suit or proceeding relating to the Plan. Each person covered by this indemnification shall give the Company an opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the same before such person undertakes to handle and defend it on such person’s

own behalf. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled under the Restated Articles of Consolidation or By-Laws of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify such person or hold such person harmless.

Each member of the Committee shall be fully justified in relying or acting in good faith upon any report made by the independent public accountants of the Company and its Subsidiaries and upon any other information furnished in connection with the Plan. In no event shall any person who is or shall have been a member of the Committee be liable for any determination made or other action taken or any omission to act in reliance upon any such report or information or for any action taken, including the furnishing of information, or failure to act, if in good faith.

If, without the receipt of consideration therefore by the Company, the Company shall at any time (i) increase or decrease the number of its outstanding Shares or (ii) change in any way the rights and privileges of such Shares such as, but not limited to, the payment of a stock dividend or any other distribution upon such Shares payable in Stock, or through a stock split, subdivision, consolidation, combination, reclassification or recapitalization involving the Shares, such that any adjustment is determined by the Committee to be appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan, then in relation to the Stock that is affected by one or more of the above events, the numbers, rights and privileges of (i) the Shares as to which Awards may be granted under the Plan, and (ii) the Shares then included in each outstanding Award granted hereunder, shall be increased, decreased or changed in like manner as if they had been issued and outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable at the time of such occurrence.

In the case of any such substitution or adjustment affecting an Option or an SAR, such substitution or adjustments shall be made in a manner that is in accordance with the substitution and assumption rules set forth in Treasury Regulations 1.424-1 and the applicable guidance relating to Code Section 409A.

In the event the Company becomes party to a merger, consolidation, sale of substantially all of its assets or any other corporate reorganization in which the Company will not be the surviving corporation or in which the holders of the Common Stock will receive securities of another corporation, then such Company shall assume the rights and obligations of the Company under this Plan.

All matters relating to the Plan or to Awards granted hereunder shall be governed by the laws of the State of Missouri, without regard to the principles of conflict of laws.

No payment under the Plan shall be taken into account in determining any benefits under any pension, retirement, profit sharing or group insurance plan of the Company or any Subsidiary, except as may be required by Federal law and regulation or to meet other applicable legal requirements.

The expenses of the Plan shall be borne by the Company and its Subsidiaries if appropriate.

The titles and headings of the sections in the Plan are for convenience of reference only, and in the event of any conflict, the text of the Plan, rather than such titles or headings, shall control.

Notwithstanding any other provisions in this Plan, any Award which is subject to recovery under any law, government regulation or stock exchange listing requirement, will be subject to such deductions and clawback as may be required to be made pursuant to such law, government regulation or stock exchange listing requirement (or any policy adopted by the Company pursuant to any such law, government regulation or stock exchange listing requirement).

No fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered under the Plan or any Award, and the Committee shall determine whether cash, other securities, or other property shall be paid or transferred in lieu of any fractional Shares or whether any fractional Shares or any rights thereto shall be canceled, terminated, or otherwise eliminated. The Committee may determine, in its discretion, whether any fractional Share shall be eliminated by rounding up or down.



Title of Securities to be Registered	Amount to be Registered (1)(2)(3)	Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Share (4)	Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price (4)	Amount of Registration Fee
Common Stock, no par value	2,970,000 shares	$51.33	$152,450,100	$18,980.04


Exhibit Number		Description

3.1*		Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of Evergy, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Evergy, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on June 4, 2018).

3.2*		Amended and Restated By-laws of Evergy, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to Evergy, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on June 4, 2018).

5.1		Opinion of Heather A. Humphrey, Senior Vice President - General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Evergy, Inc., regarding the legality of the securities being registered.

23.1		Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for Great Plains Energy Incorporated.

23.2		Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for Westar Energy, Inc.

23.3		Consent of Mayer Hoffman McCann P.C., Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for the Great Plains Energy Incorporated 401(k) Savings Plan.

23.4		Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for the Westar Energy, Inc. Employees’ 401(k) Savings Plan (included in Exhibit 23.2 to this Registration Statement).

23.5		Consent of Heather A. Humphrey, Senior Vice President—General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Evergy, Inc. (included in Exhibit 5.1 to this Registration Statement).

24.1		Powers of Attorney.

99.1		Evergy, Inc. Long-Term Incentive Plan (formerly named the Great Plains Energy Incorporated Long-Term Incentive Plan, as amended).

99.2*		Westar Energy, Inc. Long Term Incentive and Share Award Plan, as amended and restated effective January 1, 2016 (incorporated by reference to Appendix B to Westar Energy, Inc.’s Proxy Statement filed on April 1, 2016).


Signature	Title	Date

/s/ Terry Bassham Terry Bassham	President, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)	June 15, 2018

/s/ Anthony D. Somma Anthony D. Somma	Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer)	June 15, 2018

/s/ Steven P. Busser Steven P. Busser	Vice President – Risk Management and Controller (Principal Accounting Officer)	June 15, 2018

* Mark A. Ruelle	Chairman of the Board	June 15, 2018

* Mollie H. Carter	Director	June 15, 2018

* Charles Q. Chandler	Director	June 15, 2018

* Gary D. Forsee	Director	June 15, 2018

* Scott D. Grimes	Director	June 15, 2018

* Richard L. Hawley	Director	June 15, 2018

* Thomas D. Hyde	Director	June 15, 2018

* Anthony Isaac	Director	June 15, 2018

* Sandra A. J. Lawrence	Director	June 15, 2018

*	Director	June 15, 2018
Ann D. Murtlow

* Sandra J. Price	Director	June 15, 2018

* John J. Sherman	Director	June 15, 2018

* S. Carl Soderstrom, Jr.	Director	June 15, 2018


SECTION THREE.		EFFECTIVE DATE, DURATION AND SHAREHOLDER APPROVAL


SECTION FIVE.		GRANT OF AWARDS AND LIMITATION OF NUMBER OF SHARES AWARDED; GENERAL TERMS


SECTION SEVEN.		RESTRICTED STOCK AND RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS


SECTION ELEVEN.		BONUS SHARES AND OTHER STOCK-BASED AWARDS


SECTION THIRTEEN.		DIRECTOR SHARES AND DIRECTOR DEFERRED SHARE UNITS