Exhibit 99.2
July 22, 1999

WESTERN RESOURCES ANNOUNCES STOCK REPURCHASE PLAN

Western Resources today announced a stock repurchase program for up to $25
million of its common stock.

The program authorizes Western Resources to make purchases of its common stock
in the open market. The timing and terms of purchases, and the number of
shares actually purchased, will be determined by management based on market
conditions and other factors. Purchases will be conducted in accordance with
applicable rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

"Given our current stock price, we believe that this is a prudent move for our
company and our shareholders," said David C. Wittig, Western Resources
chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer.

Wittig said that the company believed the uncertainty of the review by SEC of
Protection One's amortization of customer accounts and the pending Kansas City
Power & Light (KCPL) merger have put downward pressure on Western Resources'
common stock price.

While the SEC review of Protection One still is pending, the KCPL merger has
seen significant momentum with the recent settlement agreements reached with
the Kansas Corporation Commission and the Missouri Public Service Commission
staffs.

"We believe our common stock is undervalued in the marketplace and provides us
an opportunity to repurchase shares at an attractive price," said Wittig.
Wittig also said that the repurchase of shares will not begin until after the
company's second-quarter earnings are announced, which is expected around the
first week of August.

The purchased shares would be held in treasury and will be available for
general corporate purposes or resale at a future date, or will be retired. Any
purchases will be financed with short-term debt, or made from available funds.

The announcement is not a request nor an offer for tender of shares to the
company. The company currently has approximately 67.4 million shares
outstanding.

Forward-Looking Statements: Certain matters discussed in this employee update
are "forward-looking statements." The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995 has established that these statements qualify for safe harbors from
liability. Forward-looking statements may include words like we "believe",
"anticipate," "expect" or words of similar meaning. Forward-looking statements
describe our future plans, objectives, expectations, or goals. Such statements
address future events and conditions concerning capital expenditures,
earnings, litigation, rate and other regulatory matters, possible corporate
restructurings, mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, liquidity and capital
resources, interest and dividend rates, environmental matters, changing
weather, nuclear operations, and accounting matters. What happens in each case
could vary materially from what we expect because of such things as electric
utility deregulation, including ongoing state and federal activities; future
economic conditions; legislative developments; regulatory and competitive
markets; volatility in wholesale power markets, and other circumstances
affecting anticipated operations, revenues and costs. See the company's Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the period ended Dec. 31, 1998 and Form 10-Q the
period ended March 31, 1999 filed with the SEC for further discussion of
factors affecting the company's performance.