May 9 (Reuters) - Evergy Inc missed Wall Street estimates for first-quarter profit on Thursday, as the electric utility was hit by higher expenses and mild winter weather in its service areas.

The company said mild winter weather impacted retail sales, reducing earnings in the quarter by about 7 cents per share compared to a typical winter.

Warmer-than-usual winter weather conditions in service areas often reduce heating demand for electricity and natural gas, affecting utility companies such as Evergy.

The company's operating expenses rose 5.2% to $1.07 billion in the quarter from a year earlier, while quarterly interest expenses rose 8.2% to $133.2 million.

Higher interest rates have made borrowing more expensive for businesses, weighing on utility companies' costs and denting profits.

Total revenue of $1.33 billion also missed analysts' average estimate of $1.35 billion, according to LSEG.

The company provides energy to 1.7 million customers in Kansas and Missouri through its operating subsidiaries, Evergy Kansas Central, Evergy Metro, and Evergy Missouri West.

The Kansas City, Missouri-based company reported an adjusted profit of 54 cents per share, missing analysts estimates of 64 cents per share. (Reporting by Roshia Sabu in Bengaluru; Editing by Ravi Prakash Kumar)