Evergy Partners with Kigen to Boost Grid Resilience and Connectivity

Enhancing Energy Management through Resilience and Connectivity

Evergy, a prominent utility company serving over 1.7 million customers across Kansas and Missouri, has made a significant move to bolster the resilience and reliability of its energy grid. In a recent partnership with Kigen, a leader in eSIM technology, Evergy aims to streamline its operations in the face of increasing weather-related challenges and the evolving demands on energy services.

The Need for Advanced Grid Solutions

As utilities face pressures from severe weather, rising energy needs, and the injection of distributed energy resources, having a dependable infrastructure is crucial. Evergy understands that to maintain service continuity amidst these challenges, adopting innovative technology is imperative. By selecting Kigen’s secure eSIM Operating System (OS) and their efficient embedded SIM (eIM) solution, Evergy is paving the way for greater operational flexibility and enhanced connectivity.

Kigen's technology enables a unified communication layer that integrates both private LTE and public networks. This integration is essential as it not only facilitates smoother operations but also enhances automated failover capabilities. In a landscape where the reliability of service hinges on real-time data, ensuring uninterrupted connectivity becomes non-negotiable, especially when a significant percentage of sensors and operational technologies are involved.

Key Features of the Collaboration

Kigen’s secure eSIM OS comes equipped with multi-operator profiles that provide dynamic connectivity management. It features applications designed for network rescue and recovery, allowing for a seamless transition between private LTE and preferred public networks based on pre-defined business rules. This centralized management is handled through the Kigen Pulse platform, which affords Evergy control over their vast fleet, categorized by geography, asset type, or site-specific criteria.

Reliability remains a core pillar of Evergy's strategy, alongside affordability and sustainability. As utilities like Evergy integrate advanced metering infrastructures and smart grid technologies, maintaining constant connectivity becomes paramount. The prospects of cyber threats and the complexities of managing a growing number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices further compound this need, making it critical to have automated systems in place that can effectively support large-scale operations without compromising efficiency.

Innovative Strategies for Future Challenges

As Evergy continues its journey towards modernization, the deployment of Kigen's eSIM technology sets a new standard in grid resilience. Bill Franzen, Evergy’s lead radio engineer, emphasized that successful modernization will rely heavily on uninterrupted data from devices, which is vital for visibility and preparedness against outages triggered by extreme weather or rapid energy transitions.

He elaborated, “Taking control of our infrastructure requires network availability, and automation is the foundation upon which dynamic billing and AI can build.” The significant role of Kigen's solutions reflects Evergy’s forward-thinking approach to creating intelligent grids capable of adapting to future demands.

Kigen's eIM solution, recently recognized as the 2025 IoT Solution of the Year by the Mobile Breakthrough Awards, is a testament to the efficacy of this advanced technology. As Evergy plans to integrate tens of thousands of additional devices into its network, the automation capabilities provided by Kigen become crucial in minimizing operational risks associated with such scaling.

Commitment to Sustainability and Safety

In addition to enhancing grid resilience, Evergy’s partnership with Kigen also underscores a commitment to sustainability and reduced environmental impact. Currently, nearly half of Evergy's power is generated from carbon-free sources. By leveraging innovative technologies that optimize energy management, Evergy not only elevates its operational reliability but also aligns with broader environmental goals that benefit both the community and stakeholders.

In conclusion, Evergy's collaboration with Kigen marks a transformative step towards a more resilient and automated energy landscape, setting a benchmark in grid management that other utility providers may seek to emulate. As the demand for energy innovation grows, partnerships like this will play a vital role in shaping the future of energy management on a global scale.