G. C. Hunter                          Dateline: April 13, 1995
Secretary-Treasurer                   For Release: Immediately
                                       


              THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY
                         EARNINGS REPORT
                                
JOPLIN,  MO      The  Empire District Electric  Company  reported
earnings of $1.33 per share of common stock for the twelve months
ended  March 31, 1995 on revenues of $178,480,000 and net  income
of  $20,506,000.  Earnings for the twelve months ended March  31,
1994,  were $1.13 per share on revenues of $170,703,000  and  net
income of $15,593,000.

           Earnings for the first quarter of 1995 were $0.28  per
share  on  revenues of $42,396,000 and net income of  $4,566,000.
Earnings  for  the same period in 1994 were $0.27  per  share  on
revenues of $41,673,000 and net income of $3,743,000.



                               THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY
                                       FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
                      Quarter Ended March 31      Twelve Months Ended March 31
                        1995          1994          1995            1994
                                                                 
Operating Revenues    $42,396,000   $41,673,000   $178,480,000   $170,703,000
Net Income             $4,566,000    $3,743,000    $20,506,000    $15,593,000
Net Income                                                                   
Applicable to          $3,962,000    $3,647,000    $18,435,000    $15,208,000
Common Stock
Weighted Average                                                             
Common Shares          13,966,088    13,592,071     13,826,455     13,487,112
Outstanding
Earnings per Share                                                           
of Common Stock             $0.28         $0.27          $1.33          $1.13



           Empire  supplies electric service to a 10,000  square-
mile  area  in  southwest Missouri, southeast  Kansas,  northeast
Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas.  The Company also provides water
service in three incorporated communities in Missouri.