4 _____________________________________________________________ SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 ____________ Amendment No. 53 to SCHEDULE 14D-9 Solicitation/Recommendation Statement Pursuant to Section 14(d)(4) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ____________ KANSAS CITY POWER & LIGHT COMPANY (Name of Subject Company) KANSAS CITY POWER & LIGHT COMPANY (Name of Person Filing Statement) Common Stock, no par value (Title of Class of Securities) ____________ 485134100 (CUSIP Number of Class of Securities) ____________ Jeanie Sell Latz, Esq. Senior Vice President-Corporate Services Kansas City Power & Light Company 1201 Walnut Kansas City, Missouri 64106-2124 (816) 556-2200 (Name, address and telephone number of person authorized to receive notice and communications on behalf of the person filing statement) ____________ Copy to: Nancy A. Lieberman, Esq. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom 919 Third Avenue New York, New York 10022 (212) 735-3000 _____________________________________________________________ This statement amends and supplements the Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 of Kansas City Power & Light Company, a Missouri corporation ("KCPL"), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") on July 9, 1996, as amended, (the "Schedule 14D- 9"), with respect to the exchange offer made by Western Resources, Inc., a Kansas corporation ("Western Resources"), to exchange Western Resources common stock, par value $5.00 per share, for all of the outstanding shares of KCPL common stock, no par value ("KCPL Common Stock"), on the terms and conditions set forth in the prospectus of Western Resources dated July 3, 1996 and the related Letter of Transmittal. Capitalized terms used and not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Schedule 14D-9. Item 9. Material to be Filed as Exhibits. The following Exhibit is filed herewith: Exhibit 132 Press release jointly issued by KCPL and Western Resources on February 6, 1997. SIGNATURE After reasonable inquiry and to the best of her knowledge and belief, the undersigned certifies that the information set forth in this Statement is true, complete and correct. KANSAS CITY POWER & LIGHT COMPANY By: /s/ Jeanie Sell Latz Jeanie Sell Latz Senior Vice President-Corporate Services Dated: February 6, 1997 EXHIBIT INDEX Exhibit No. Description Page Exhibit 132 Press release jointly issued by KCPL and Western Resources on February 6, 1997. Media Contacts: Media Contact: Pam Levetzow (816) 556-2926 Michel' J. Philipp (913) 575-1927 Phyllis Desbien (816) 556-2903 Robin Lampe (913) 575-6468 Investor Contact: Investor Contact: David Myers (816) 556-2312 Rick Kready (913) 575- 8226 JOINT NEWS RELEASE KCPL, WESTERN RESOURCES CONTINUE NEGOTIATIONS TENDER OFFER EXTENDED TO FEBRUARY 7 KANSAS CITY, Missouri, and TOPEKA, Kansas, February 6, 1997 (7 a.m.. CST) -- Kansas City Power & Light Company (NYSE: KLT) and Western Resources, Inc. (NYSE:WR) said today that substantive merger negotiations are continuing between the two companies. As a result of the positive dialogue between the companies and the complexity of negotiations, Western Resources is extending the expiration date of its tender offer to 5 p.m. EST February 7, 1997. As of 5 p.m. EST February 5, 1997, 30.3 million shares of KCPL (or approximately 49 percent of the total outstanding shares) had been tendered to Western Resources. - 30 -