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