EXHIBIT (24)





                          POWER OF ATTORNEY


     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned, a director
of  THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY, a corporation organized and
existing  under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Kansas,  does  hereby
constitute and appoint M. W. MCKINNEY and R. B. FANCHER, and each  of
them, the true and lawful attorney-in-fact of the undersigned, in the
name,  place  and stead of the undersigned, to sign the name  of  the
undersigned to the Company's Annual Report Form 10-K for  the  fiscal
year  ended  December  31,  1999, File Number  1-3368,  to  be  filed
pursuant  to  Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange  Act  of
1934, and to any amendment thereto, and to cause the same to be filed
with  the  Securities and Exchange Commission, it being  intended  to
give and hereby giving and granting unto said attorneys-in-fact,  and
each of them, full power and authority to do and perform any act  and
thing necessary and proper to be done in the premises as fully and to
all  intents  and purposes as the undersigned could do if  personally
present;  and the undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms  all  that
said  attorneys-in-fact, or any one of them,  shall  lawfully  do  or
cause to be done by virtue hereof.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Power  of
Attorney this 3rd day of February 2000.





                      /s/ MARY MCCLEARY POSNER
                           MARY MCCLEARY POSNER

                                                         EXHIBIT (24)





                          POWER OF ATTORNEY


     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned, a director
of  THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY, a corporation organized and
existing  under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Kansas,  does  hereby
constitute and appoint M. W. MCKINNEY and R. B. FANCHER, and each  of
them, the true and lawful attorney-in-fact of the undersigned, in the
name,  place  and stead of the undersigned, to sign the name  of  the
undersigned to the Company's Annual Report Form 10-K for  the  fiscal
year  ended  December  31,  1999, File Number  1-3368,  to  be  filed
pursuant  to  Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange  Act  of
1934, and to any amendment thereto, and to cause the same to be filed
with  the  Securities and Exchange Commission, it being  intended  to
give and hereby giving and granting unto said attorneys-in-fact,  and
each of them, full power and authority to do and perform any act  and
thing necessary and proper to be done in the premises as fully and to
all  intents  and purposes as the undersigned could do if  personally
present;  and the undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms  all  that
said  attorneys-in-fact, or any one of them,  shall  lawfully  do  or
cause to be done by virtue hereof.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Power  of
Attorney this 3rd day of February 2000.





                          /s/ ROY E. MAYES
                               ROY E. MAYES

                                                         EXHIBIT (24)





                          POWER OF ATTORNEY


     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned, a director
of  THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY, a corporation organized and
existing  under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Kansas,  does  hereby
constitute and appoint M. W. MCKINNEY and R. B. FANCHER, and each  of
them, the true and lawful attorney-in-fact of the undersigned, in the
name,  place  and stead of the undersigned, to sign the name  of  the
undersigned to the Company's Annual Report Form 10-K for  the  fiscal
year  ended  December  31,  1999, File Number  1-3368,  to  be  filed
pursuant  to  Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange  Act  of
1934, and to any amendment thereto, and to cause the same to be filed
with  the  Securities and Exchange Commission, it being  intended  to
give and hereby giving and granting unto said attorneys-in-fact,  and
each of them, full power and authority to do and perform any act  and
thing necessary and proper to be done in the premises as fully and to
all  intents  and purposes as the undersigned could do if  personally
present;  and the undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms  all  that
said  attorneys-in-fact, or any one of them,  shall  lawfully  do  or
cause to be done by virtue hereof.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Power  of
Attorney this 3rd day of February 2000.





                      /s/ MELVIN F. CHUBB, JR.
                           MELVIN F. CHUBB, JR.


                                                         EXHIBIT (24)





                          POWER OF ATTORNEY


     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned, a director
of  THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY, a corporation organized and
existing  under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Kansas,  does  hereby
constitute and appoint M. W. MCKINNEY and R. B. FANCHER, and each  of
them, the true and lawful attorney-in-fact of the undersigned, in the
name,  place  and stead of the undersigned, to sign the name  of  the
undersigned to the Company's Annual Report Form 10-K for  the  fiscal
year  ended  December  31,  1999, File Number  1-3368,  to  be  filed
pursuant  to  Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange  Act  of
1934, and to any amendment thereto, and to cause the same to be filed
with  the  Securities and Exchange Commission, it being  intended  to
give and hereby giving and granting unto said attorneys-in-fact,  and
each of them, full power and authority to do and perform any act  and
thing necessary and proper to be done in the premises as fully and to
all  intents  and purposes as the undersigned could do if  personally
present;  and the undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms  all  that
said  attorneys-in-fact, or any one of them,  shall  lawfully  do  or
cause to be done by virtue hereof.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Power  of
Attorney this 3rd day of February 2000.





                         /s/ ROBERT L. LAMB
                              ROBERT L. LAMB

                                                         EXHIBIT (24)





                          POWER OF ATTORNEY


     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned, a director
of  THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY, a corporation organized and
existing  under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Kansas,  does  hereby
constitute and appoint M. W. MCKINNEY and R. B. FANCHER, and each  of
them, the true and lawful attorney-in-fact of the undersigned, in the
name,  place  and stead of the undersigned, to sign the name  of  the
undersigned to the Company's Annual Report Form 10-K for  the  fiscal
year  ended  December  31,  1999, File Number  1-3368,  to  be  filed
pursuant  to  Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange  Act  of
1934, and to any amendment thereto, and to cause the same to be filed
with  the  Securities and Exchange Commission, it being  intended  to
give and hereby giving and granting unto said attorneys-in-fact,  and
each of them, full power and authority to do and perform any act  and
thing necessary and proper to be done in the premises as fully and to
all  intents  and purposes as the undersigned could do if  personally
present;  and the undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms  all  that
said  attorneys-in-fact, or any one of them,  shall  lawfully  do  or
cause to be done by virtue hereof.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Power  of
Attorney this 3rd day of February 2000.





                        /s/ JACK R. HERSCHEND
                            JACK R. HERSCHEND

                                                         EXHIBIT (24)





                          POWER OF ATTORNEY


     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned, a director
of  THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY, a corporation organized and
existing  under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Kansas,  does  hereby
constitute and appoint M. W. MCKINNEY and R. B. FANCHER, and each  of
them, the true and lawful attorney-in-fact of the undersigned, in the
name,  place  and stead of the undersigned, to sign the name  of  the
undersigned to the Company's Annual Report Form 10-K for  the  fiscal
year  ended  December  31,  1999, File Number  1-3368,  to  be  filed
pursuant  to  Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange  Act  of
1934, and to any amendment thereto, and to cause the same to be filed
with  the  Securities and Exchange Commission, it being  intended  to
give and hereby giving and granting unto said attorneys-in-fact,  and
each of them, full power and authority to do and perform any act  and
thing necessary and proper to be done in the premises as fully and to
all  intents  and purposes as the undersigned could do if  personally
present;  and the undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms  all  that
said  attorneys-in-fact, or any one of them,  shall  lawfully  do  or
cause to be done by virtue hereof.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Power  of
Attorney this 3rd day of February 2000.





                        /s/ R. DWAIN HAMMONS
                             R. DWAIN HAMMONS


                                                         EXHIBIT (24)





                          POWER OF ATTORNEY


     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned, a director
of  THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY, a corporation organized and
existing  under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Kansas,  does  hereby
constitute and appoint M. W. MCKINNEY and R. B. FANCHER, and each  of
them, the true and lawful attorney-in-fact of the undersigned, in the
name,  place  and stead of the undersigned, to sign the name  of  the
undersigned to the Company's Annual Report Form 10-K for  the  fiscal
year  ended  December  31,  1999, File Number  1-3368,  to  be  filed
pursuant  to  Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange  Act  of
1934, and to any amendment thereto, and to cause the same to be filed
with  the  Securities and Exchange Commission, it being  intended  to
give and hereby giving and granting unto said attorneys-in-fact,  and
each of them, full power and authority to do and perform any act  and
thing necessary and proper to be done in the premises as fully and to
all  intents  and purposes as the undersigned could do if  personally
present;  and the undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms  all  that
said  attorneys-in-fact, or any one of them,  shall  lawfully  do  or
cause to be done by virtue hereof.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Power  of
Attorney this 3rd day of February 2000.





                       /s/ FRANCIS E. JEFFRIES
                           FRANCIS E. JEFFRIES


                                                         EXHIBIT (24)





                          POWER OF ATTORNEY


     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned, a director
of  THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY, a corporation organized and
existing  under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Kansas,  does  hereby
constitute and appoint M. W. MCKINNEY and R. B. FANCHER, and each  of
them, the true and lawful attorney-in-fact of the undersigned, in the
name,  place  and stead of the undersigned, to sign the name  of  the
undersigned to the Company's Annual Report Form 10-K for  the  fiscal
year  ended  December  31,  1999, File Number  1-3368,  to  be  filed
pursuant  to  Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange  Act  of
1934, and to any amendment thereto, and to cause the same to be filed
with  the  Securities and Exchange Commission, it being  intended  to
give and hereby giving and granting unto said attorneys-in-fact,  and
each of them, full power and authority to do and perform any act  and
thing necessary and proper to be done in the premises as fully and to
all  intents  and purposes as the undersigned could do if  personally
present;  and the undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms  all  that
said  attorneys-in-fact, or any one of them,  shall  lawfully  do  or
cause to be done by virtue hereof.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Power  of
Attorney this 3rd day of February 2000.





                         /s/ ROSS C. HARTLEY
                             ROSS C. HARTLEY