A look at the pay of people far more powerful than you

One look at this powerful list of power company executives and I felt a little powerless and very much like a member of the po'folk community that I am.

Great Plains Energy Inc. disclosed compensation packages Monday for the company's top six executives.

Check it:

Company CEO Michael Chesser will get a base salary of $725,000 in 2007, up 11.5 percent from $650,000 in 2006, the Kansas City-based company

Shahid Malik, executive vice president and CEO of Strategic Energy LLC, will receive $440,000 in base compensation in 2007, up 4.8 percent from $420,000 in 2006.

John Marshall, senior vice president of delivery for KCP&L, will receive $335,000 in base compensation, up 3 percent from $325,000 in 2006, with an optional bonus of 50 percent of his base compensation.

Great Plains Energy CFO Terry Bassham will receive base compensation of $325,000, an increase of 7.7 percent from 2006 salary of $300,000. Bassham is eligible for a bonus of 50 percent of his base compensation.

Stephen Easley, senior vice president of supply at KCP&L, will receive $276,750 in 2007 base compensation, a 2.5 percent increase from his 2006 salary of $270,000. Easley is eligible for a bonus of 50 percent of his base compensation.

And if that doesn't make you feel great about paying your utilities, then you might want to watch "The Smartest guys in the room" in order have a really powerless feeling come over you.