Westar Energy, Horizon Wind Energy and The Empire District Electric Company Plan to Break Ground for Wind Farm April 11

Westar Energy (NYSE: WR), Horizon Wind Energy and The Empire District Electric Company will conduct a groundbreaking ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday, April 11, at the Meridian Way Wind Farm site, 1409 Iron Road and Highway 81 in Cloud County.

Speakers include Kansas Lieutenant Governor Mark Parkinson, State Representative Elaine Bowers and officers with Westar Energy, Horizon Wind Energy and The Empire District Electric Company.

Meridian Way Wind Farm is a 201 megawatt (MW) project owned and operated by Horizon Wind Energy. The wind farm will produce enough energy to power 45,000 average Kansas homes. Westar Energy will purchase 96 MW of energy produced by Phase II of the project. The Empire District Electric Company, based out of Joplin, MO, will purchase energy produced by Phase I of the project.

"The ample natural supply of wind and the support of the local residents and community leaders make Cloud County a prime location for a wind farm," said Greg Greenwood, vice president, generation construction for Westar Energy. "This groundbreaking symbolizes the commitment Westar Energy, The Empire District Electric Company and Horizon Wind Energy has for providing clean, renewable energy to our customers and the state of Kansas."

Meridian Way will consist of 67 Vestas V90-3.0 MW turbines, the largest on-shore wind turbine currently being installed. The wind farm is expected to prevent the annual emission of approximately 600,000 tons of carbon dioxide; nearly 1,200 tons of nitrogen oxide; and over 1,600 tons of sulfer dioxide. This is equivalent to taking 60,000 cars off the road. Meridian Way is expected to go online by the end of 2008.

Directions to the wind farm site: 1409 Iron Road and Highway 81: From I-70 head north on Highway 81. Continue north on Highway 81 to approximately five miles north of the Highway 81 and Highway 24 intersection to Iron Road.

Westar Energy, Inc. (NYSE: WR) is the largest electric utility in Kansas, providing electric service to more than 674,000 customers in the state. Westar Energy has about 6,100 megawatts of electric generation capacity and operates and coordinates more than 33,000 miles of electric distribution and transmission lines.

For more information about Westar Energy, visit us on the Internet at http://www.WestarEnergy.com.