Western Resources and Kansas City Power & Light filed anamended application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commissionto approve the Western Resources-KCPL merger and the formation ofWestar Energy, a new electric company.

Under the agreement, Westar Energy will be created from the KGEand KPL electric operations of Western Resources and the electricoperations of KCPL. The combined company will have more than onemillion electric customers in Kansas and Missouri, $8.2 billion inassets and more than 8,000 MW of electric generation resources.

Regulatory filings for approval of the transaction have beenmade with the Kansas Corporation Commission and the Missouri PublicService Commission. The transaction is expected to close in thefirst half of 1999 subject to receipt of necessary consents andapprovals.

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