EXHIBIT 24 POWER OF ATTORNEY We, the undersigned Directors and Officers of UtiliCorp United Inc., do hereby name, constitute and appoint Richard C. Green, Jr., Robert K. Green or Dale J. Wolf, our agent and attorney-in-fact, for each of us and in our respective behalves as Directors and/or as Officers of UtiliCorp United Inc., to sign and execute a Registration Statement on Form S-3, and any amendments thereto, relating to the registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission of not more than $800,000,000 of Debt and/or Common Stock Securities of UtiliCorp United Inc. or any wholly-owned subsidiary of UtiliCorp United Inc. to be issued in one or more public offerings. Executed this 4th day of August, 1999. /s/ RICHARD C. GREEN, JR. - ------------------------------------------- Richard C. Green, Jr. /s/ IRVINE O. HOCKADAY, JR. - ------------------------------------------- Irvine O. Hockaday, Jr. /s/ JOHN R. BAKER - ------------------------------------------- John R. Baker /s/ HERMAN CAIN - ------------------------------------------- Herman Cain /s/ ROBERT K. GREEN - ------------------------------------------- Robert K. Green /s/ JAMES S. BROOK - ------------------------------------------- James S. Brook /s/ AVIS G. TUCKER - ------------------------------------------- Avis G. Tucker /s/ ROBERT F. JACKSON, JR. - ------------------------------------------- Robert F. Jackson, Jr. /s/ L. PATTON KLINE - ------------------------------------------- L. Patton Kline /s/ STANLEY O. IKENBERRY - ------------------------------------------- Stanley O. Ikenberry /s/ DALE J. WOLF - ------------------------------------------- Dale J. Wolf