View:
  _____________________________________________________________
                                
                                
               SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                     Washington, D.C.  20549
                          ____________
                                
                       Amendment No. 38 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 112    Press release issued by KCPL on September 18, 1996.
     
     
     
                              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:  September 18, 1996




                          EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit No.                     Description                        Page
__________     __________________________________________________  ____

Exhibit 112    Press release issued by KCPL on September 18, 1996




                                                        Exhibit 112
                                                                      
                                                                      
[Text of press release issued by KCPL on September 18, 1996]





FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contacts:                                 Investor Contact:
  Pam Levetzow                                    David Myers
  816 / 556-2926                                  816 / 556-2312
  Phyllis Desbien
  816 / 556-2903

                       Joele Frank / Dan Katcher
                       Abernathy MacGregor Scanlon
                       212 / 371-5999


                KCPL TERMINATES MERGER AGREEMENT
            _________________________________________
                                
Kansas City, Missouri (September 18, 1996) -- Kansas City Power &
Light (NYSE: KLT) announced today that in view of the failure of
KCPL stockholders to approve the KCPL/UtiliCorp merger, it has
terminated the definitive merger agreement with UtiliCorp United
Inc. (NYSE: UCU) in accordance with the terms of the agreement.

Kansas City Power & Light Company provides electric power to a
growing and diversified service territory encompassing
metropolitan Kansas City and parts of eastern Kansas and western
Missouri.  KCPL is a low-cost producer and leader in fuel
procurement and plant technology.  KLT Inc., a wholly-owned
subsidiary of KCPL, pursues opportunities in non-regulated,
primarily energy-related ventures.

                              # # #