Empire District Electric (EDE) 10-K 2012 FY Annual report

EXHIBIT (23)

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statements on Form S-8 (Nos. 33-64639, 33-34807, 333-130075 and 333-130076) and in the Registration Statements on Form S-3 (Nos. 333-171955 and 333-141452) of The Empire District Electric Company of our report dated February 22, 2013 relating to the financial statements, financial statement schedule and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, which appears in this Form 10-K.

/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

St. Louis, Missouri

February 22, 2013