Feb 27 (Reuters) - Evergy Inc ( EVRG ) missed

fourth-quarter profit estimates on Thursday, as the power

company was hurt by higher operating and interest expenses.

Higher-for-longer interest rates push up borrowing costs for

utility companies such as Evergy ( EVRG ), which typically need more

capital for expenses such as maintaining the grid.

The company's total operating expenses in the quarter rose

2.8% from a year ago to $1.04 billion, and interest costs rose

to $142.4 million from $132.2 million a year ago.

But total retail sales for the fourth-quarter were up 5.4%

from a year earlier to $1.04 billion, led by an uptick in

residential consumption. As a result, overall revenue rose 6% to

$1.26 billion.

Evergy ( EVRG ) increased its capital expenditure plan from 2025 to

2029 by 8% to $17.5 billion, as power companies are ramping up

their investments to cater to data center demand.

"As part of discussions with our more than 10-gigawatt

project pipeline, we are in advanced negotiations with two large

data center customers," said David Campbell, chief executive

officer of Evergy ( EVRG ).

Evergy ( EVRG ) provides power to 1.7 million customers in Kansas and

Missouri through its operating subsidiaries Evergy Kansas

Central, Evergy Metro and Evergy Missouri West.

The utility reaffirmed its 2025 adjusted profit forecast of

$3.92 per share to $4.12 per share, the mid-point of which is

two cents below analysts' estimate of $4.04 per share, according

to data compiled by LSEG.

The company's adjusted profit was 35 cents per share for the

three months ended December 31, missing analysts' expectations

of 37 cents per share, according to data compiled by LSEG.