Exhibit 99.1

                            Western Resources, Inc.

                                                             Media contact:
                                                             Doug Lawrence
                                                             Phone: 785.575.8401
                                                             FAX: 785.575.6399
                                                             News@wr.com

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           WESTERN RESOURCES ANNOUNCES LAWSUIT AGAINST PUBLIC SERVICE
              COMPANY OF NEW MEXICO FOR BREACH OF MERGER AGREEMENT

     TOPEKA, Kan., Nov. 20, 2001 - Western Resources (NYSE:WR) today announced
the filing of a lawsuit in New York against Public Service Company of New Mexico
(NYSE: PNM) and its wholly owned subsidiaries HVOLT Enterprises, Inc., HVK,
Inc., and HVNM, Inc. (collectively, "PNM") seeking
hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars in damages for PNM's breach of the multi-billion
dollar Agreement and Plan of Restructuring and Merger between the parties, and
for PNM's breach of its duty of good faith and fair dealing.

     In its Complaint, Western Resources characterizes PNM's conduct as a
classic case of "buyer's remorse," alleging that PNM had second thoughts about
completing the transaction set forth in the parties' Agreement. Western
Resources alleges that PNM first tried to retrade the deal and later sought to
sabotage Western Resources's efforts to comply with contractual conditions, and
is in breach of its obligations under the parties' Transaction Agreement.

     Western Resources has also moved to dismiss a declaratory judgment action
filed by PNM in New York wherein PNM seeks to avoid its contractual obligations.

     On November 8, 2000, PNM agreed to purchase Western Resources's utility
operations in a stock for stock transaction. The agreement called for PNM and
Western Resources to contribute a specific number of shares to the deal,
regardless of whether the value of such shares






changed between the contract's signing and its execution. Well after the deal
was announced, PNM's stock price rose significantly, increasing the value of
PNM's share contribution to the deal by a considerable amount. Western Resources
alleges that this purchase price increase was one of the reasons PNM has sought
to escape from the contract.

     Western Resources has continued to pursue satisfaction of its contractual
obligations, including the filing of appeals from non-final orders entered by
the Kansas Corporation Commission ("KCC") which PNM has cited as an excuse for
its non-performance and the filing of a debt reduction plan with the KCC.
Western Resources Chairman, David Wittig, stated: "We are seeking substantial
money damages from PNM and intend to prosecute this action vigorously. PNM's
conduct, in seeking to back away from its deal and in interfering with its
consummation, has caused substantial injury to Western Resources and its
shareholders for which PNM should be held fully accountable."

     Western Resources (NYSE: WR) is a consumer services company with interests
in monitored services and energy. The company has total assets of about $7.5
billion, including security company holdings through ownership of Protection One
(NYSE: POI) and Protection One Europe, which have more than 1.4 million security
customers. Its utilities, KPL and KGE, provide electric service to approximately
640,000 customers in Kansas. Through its ownership in ONEOK, Inc. (NYSE: OKE), a
Tulsa-based natural gas company, Western Resources has a 44.7 percent interest
in one of the largest natural gas distribution companies in the nation, serving
more than 1.4 million customers.

     For more information about Western Resources and its operating companies,
visit us on the Internet at http://www.wr.com.

     Forward-looking statements: Certain matters discussed here and elsewhere in
this news release 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, liquidity and capital resources, litigation,
rate and other regulatory matters, possible corporate restructurings, mergers,
acquisitions, dispositions, including the proposed separation of Westar
Industries, Inc., from our electric utility businesses and the consummation of
the acquisition of our electric operations by Public Service Company of New
Mexico, compliance with debt covenants, changes in accounting requirements and
other accounting matters, interest and dividends, Protection One's financial
condition and its impact on our consolidated results, environmental matters,
changing weather, nuclear operations, ability to enter new markets successfully
and capitalize on growth opportunities in non-regulated businesses, events in
foreign markets in which investments have been made, and the overall economy of
our service area. What happens in each case could vary materially from what we
expect because of such things as electric utility deregulation, ongoing
municipal, state and federal activities, such as the Wichita municipalization
efforts; future economic conditions; legislative and regulatory developments;
competitive markets; and other circumstances affecting anticipated operations,
sales and costs.