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                                                 Media contact:
                                                 Kimberly N.
                                                 Gronniger
                                                 Phone: 785.575.1927
                                                 FAX: 785.575.6399
                                                 News@wr.com

                                                 Investor contact:
                                                 Carl A. Ricketts
                                                 Phone: 785.575.8424
                                                 FAX: 785.575.1774
                                                 Carl_ricketts@wr.com




                     Western resources RESPONDS TO KCC ORDER

     TOPEKA, Kan., July 25, 2001 -- The Kansas Corporation Commission issued an
order today reducing Western Resources' electric rates by $22.7 million,
representing less than 2 percent of total revenues in year 2000. The rates of
the company's Kansas Gas and Electric Co. subsidiary were reduced by
approximately $41.2 million and the company's KPL division's rates were
increased by approximately $18.5 million.

     The company is continuing to review the order and expects to meet with
Public Service Company of New Mexico to discuss the order in the near future.

     Western Resources (NYSE: WR) is a consumer services company with interests
in monitored services and energy. The company has total assets of about $8
billion, including security company holdings through ownership of Protection One
(NYSE: POI) and Protection One Europe, which have more than 1.5 million security
customers. Its utilities, KPL and KGE, provide electric service to approximately
636,000 customers in Kansas. Through its ownership in ONEOK, Inc. (NYSE: OKE), a
Tulsa-based natural gas company, Western Resources has a 45 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 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,
including the pending rate cases and pending investigation by the Kansas
Corporation Commission of the proposed separation of Western Resources' electric
utility businesses from Westar Industries and matters related to our unregulated
businesses, possible corporate restructurings, mergers, acquisitions,
dispositions, 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
effort; future economic conditions; legislative and regulatory developments; the
proposed separation of Western Resources' electric utility businesses from
Westar Industries and the consummation of the acquisition of the electric
operations of Western Resources by Public Service Company of New Mexico;
regulatory and competitive markets; and other circumstances affecting
anticipated operations, sales and costs. See Risk Factors in our Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000, and our quarterly reports on
Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, for additional information on these and other matters that
may affect our business and financial results. Western Resources disclaims any
obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments
occurring after the date of this news release.