SEC Filing | Evergy, Inc.

Large accelerated filer

Accelerated filer

Non-accelerated filer

Smaller reporting company

(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)

(Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent For Service)

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after this Registration Statement becomes effective.

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. ¨

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. x

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. x

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

The following are types of securities that may be offered and sold under this prospectus:

Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “WR”. On March 19, 2013 the closing price on the New York Stock Exchange for our common stock was $32.04.

We will describe in the prospectus supplement, which must accompany this prospectus, the securities we are offering and selling, as well as the specific terms of the securities. Those terms may include:

Investing in these securities involves certain risks. See “Item 1A—Risk Factors” beginning on page 19 of our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 which is incorporated by reference herein.

The Securities and Exchange Commission and state securities commissions have not approved or disapproved of these securities, or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

We may offer the securities in amounts, at prices and on terms determined at the time of offering. We may sell the securities directly to you, through agents we select, or through underwriters and dealers we select. If we use agents, underwriters or dealers to sell the securities, we will name them and describe their compensation in a prospectus supplement.

You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. We are not making an offer of these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of this prospectus.

We refer to Westar Energy, Inc. in this prospectus as “Westar” or “we,” “us,” “our” or comparable terms and to Kansas Gas and Electric Company as “KGE.”

THE COMPANY

Westar Energy, Inc., a Kansas corporation incorporated in 1924, is the largest electric utility in Kansas. We provide electric generation, transmission and distribution services to approximately 690,000 customers in Kansas. Westar Energy provides these services in central and northeastern Kansas, including the cities of Topeka, Lawrence, Manhattan, Salina and Hutchinson. Kansas Gas and Electric Company (KGE), Westar Energy’s wholly-owned subsidiary, provides these services in south-central and southeastern Kansas, including the city of Wichita. KGE owns a 47% interest in the Wolf Creek Generating Station, or Wolf Creek, a nuclear power plant located near Burlington, Kansas. Both Westar and KGE conduct business using the name Westar Energy.

Our principal executive offices are located at 818 South Kansas Avenue, Topeka, Kansas 66612. Our telephone number is (785) 575-6300. We maintain a website at http://www.WestarEnergy.com where general information about us is available. We are not incorporating the contents of the website into this prospectus.

For a description of our business, financial condition, results of operations and other important information regarding us, see our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, incorporated by reference in this prospectus. For instructions on how to find copies of these and our other filings incorporated by reference in this prospectus, see the section of this prospectus captioned “Available Information”.

Certain matters discussed in this prospectus or incorporated by reference into this prospectus are “forward-looking statements.” The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 has established that these statements qualify for safe harbors from liability. Forward-looking statements may include words like we “believe,” “anticipate,” “target,” “expect,” “estimate,” “intend” and words of similar meaning. Forward-looking statements describe our future plans, objectives, expectations or goals. Such statements address future events and conditions concerning matters such as, but not limited to:

What happens in each case could vary materially from what we expect because of such things as:

These lists are not all-inclusive because it is not possible to predict all factors. All forward-looking statements are qualified by the risks described in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any supplement to this prospectus. In addition, investors should consider the other information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any prospectus supplement. See “Available Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference.” Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date such statement was made, and we are not obligated to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement was made except as required by applicable laws or regulations.

We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities for working capital and general corporate purposes including, but not limited to, funding our operations, acquiring capital equipment and repaying debt. We may also invest the proceeds in certificates of deposit, United States government securities or certain other interest-bearing securities. If we decide to use the net proceeds from a particular offering of securities for a specific purpose, we will describe that in the related prospectus supplement.

The table below sets forth our ratios of earnings to fixed charges for the periods indicated.

Earnings consist of earnings from continuing operations, fixed charges and distributed income of equity investees. Fixed charges consist of all interest on indebtedness, amortization of debt discount and expense and the portion of rental expense that represents an interest factor. Earnings from continuing operations consist of income from continuing operations before income taxes, cumulative effects of accounting changes and preferred dividends adjusted for undistributed earnings from equity investees.

For purposes of calculating the ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred dividends, earnings consist of earnings from continuing operations, fixed charges and distributed income of equity investees. Fixed charges consist of all interest on indebtedness, interest on uncertain tax positions, interest on corporate-owned life insurance policies, amortization of debt discount and expense, and the portion of rental expense that represents an interest factor. Earnings from continuing operations consists of income from continuing operations before income taxes, cumulative effects of accounting changes and preferred dividends adjusted for undistributed earnings from equity investees. Preferred dividend requirements consist of an amount equal to the pre-tax earnings that would be required to meet dividend requirements on preferred stock.

Holders of our common stock are entitled to dividends when and as declared by our board of directors. However, if any preferred stock is outstanding, prior to the payment of common dividends, dividends must first be paid to the holders of preferred stock based on the fixed dividend rate for each series. Our articles of incorporation restrict the payment of dividends or the making of other distributions on our common stock while any shares of our preferred stock remain outstanding unless certain capitalization ratios and other conditions are met. See “Description of Capital Stock”.

Quarterly dividends on common stock and, when outstanding, preferred stock normally are paid on or about the first business day of January, April, July and October to shareholders of record as of or about the ninth day of the preceding month. Our board of directors reviews our common stock dividend policy from time to time. Among the factors the board of directors considers in determining our dividend policy are earnings, cash flows, capitalization ratios, regulation, competition and financial loan covenants. On February 28, 2013 we declared a first-quarter 2013 dividend of $0.34 per share on our common stock, payable on April 1, 2013.

The statements made under this caption include summaries of certain provisions contained in our articles of incorporation and by-laws. These statements do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to such articles of incorporation and by-laws.

As used in this section of this prospectus under the caption “Description of Capital Stock,” the terms “we,” “us” and “our” refer solely to Westar Energy, Inc. and such references do not include any subsidiaries of Westar Energy, Inc.

Our authorized capital stock under the articles of incorporation consists of 275,000,000 shares of common stock, $5.00 par value, 6,000,000 shares of preferred stock, no par value, 600,000 shares of preferred stock, $100.00 par value, and 4,000,000 shares of preference stock, no par value.

Our authorized common stock consists of 275,000,000 shares, $5.00 par value, of which 126,503,748 shares were issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2012. The issued and outstanding shares of common stock are, and any shares of common stock issued will be, fully paid and non-assessable. Holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders. As of December 31, 2012, there were 20,424 holders of record of our common stock. The articles of incorporation do not provide for preemptive or other subscription rights of the holders of common stock. We are the transfer agent and registrar for our common stock.

Our articles of incorporation limit the payment of dividends or other distributions on the common stock under certain conditions. As long as there is any preferred stock outstanding, we cannot pay dividends or other distributions on common stock unless all past preferred stock dividends have been paid and all preferred stock dividends payable in the current quarter have been paid or declared and a sum sufficient for their payment set aside.

In addition, dividends or distributions on our common stock may be limited depending on our capitalization ratio (“Capitalization Ratio”) which is defined in our articles of incorporation as a fraction, the numerator of which is the total of common stock, preference stock (together, “Subordinated Stock”), premium on Subordinated Stock and surplus accounts subject to certain adjustments, and the denominator of which is long term debt and the total stated capital or par value of all issued and outstanding capital stock of all classes, including premium thereon and surplus accounts subject to certain adjustments. The Capitalization Ratio is measured at the end of the second calendar month immediately preceding the date of the proposed dividend or distribution and after giving effect to such proposed dividend or distribution and is calculated on an unconsolidated basis.

If the Capitalization Ratio is less than 20%, then total dividends and distributions on all Subordinated Stock for the 12 months ending with and including the date of the proposed payment may not exceed 50% of Available Net Income, which is defined as total net income available for dividends on Subordinated Stock for the 12 calendar months ending with and including the second calendar month immediately preceding the date of the proposed payment, subject to certain adjustments. If the Capitalization Ratio is at least 20% but less than 25%, then total dividends and distributions on all Subordinated Stock may not exceed 75% of Available Net Income. Except to the extent permitted by the foregoing, we may not pay any dividends or make distributions on Subordinated Stock that would reduce the Capitalization Ratio to less than 25%, and dividends and distributions on common stock may only be paid out of surplus or net profits legally available for the payment of dividends.

We are authorized to issue 6,600,000 shares of preferred stock, which may be issued from time to time in one or more series, each such series to have such distinctive designation or title as may be fixed by our board of directors prior to the issuance of any shares thereof. Each series may differ from each other series already outstanding as may be declared from time to time by our board of directors in the following respects: (1) the rate of dividend; (2) the amount per share, if any, which the preferred stock shall be entitled to receive upon the redemption of such shares, our liquidation, the distribution or sale of assets or our dissolution or winding up; (3) terms and conditions of conversion, if any; and (4) terms of sinking fund, redemption or purchase account, if any.

The preferred stock has special voting rights which are triggered when dividends on the stock are in default in an amount equal to four or more quarterly dividends, whether or not consecutive. If dividends are not paid for four or more dividend periods on all series of preferred stock then outstanding, the holders of the preferred stock are entitled to elect the smallest number of directors necessary to constitute a majority of the full board of directors until such unpaid dividends shall be paid.

As long as any preferred stock is outstanding, we may not, without the consent of the holders of at least two-thirds of the preferred stock then outstanding, voting as a class:

(1) define or specify preferences, qualifications, limitations or other rights for authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock superior to those of outstanding shares of such stock (except for differences described in items (2) through (4) in the first paragraph under the caption “—Preferred Stock”) or amend, alter, change or repeal any of the express terms or provisions of the then outstanding preferred stock in a manner substantially prejudicial to the holders thereof; or

(2) issue or sell any preferred stock or any class of stock ranking prior to or on a parity with the preferred stock other than in exchange for or for the purpose of effecting the retirement of not less than a like number of shares of preferred stock or shares of stock ranking prior to or on a parity therewith or securities convertible into not less than a like number of such shares unless

As long as any preferred stock is outstanding, the articles of incorporation also provide that without the consent of the holders of at least a majority of the preferred stock then outstanding, voting as a class, or if more than one-third shall vote negatively, we shall not:

(2) sell, lease or exchange all or substantially all of our property or assets unless the fair value of our net assets after completion of such transaction shall at least equal the liquidation value of all outstanding shares of preferred stock; or

(3) reacquire or pay any dividends or make any other distribution upon shares of the preference stock or the common stock or any other class of our stock over which the preferred stock has preference with respect to the payment of dividends or the distribution of assets, unless after any such action the sum of

in each case on an unconsolidated basis, shall not be less than the sum of $10,500,000 plus an amount equal to twice the annual dividend requirement on all outstanding shares of preferred stock and on any such other stock ranking prior thereto or on a parity therewith.

We are authorized to issue 4,000,000 shares of preference stock, which may be issued from time to time in one or more series, each such series to have such distinctive designation or title as may be fixed by the board of directors prior to the issuance of any shares thereof.

Each series may differ from each other series already outstanding, as may be declared from time to time by the board of directors, in the following respects:

Article XVII of the articles of incorporation requires the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than 80% of the outstanding shares of common and preferred stock entitled to vote and the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote held by any shareholders other than any shareholder, together with its affiliates and associates, which becomes the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the outstanding shares entitled to vote (an Interested Stockholder), to approve or authorize certain “business combinations” (including any merger, consolidation, self-dealing transaction, recapitalization or reclassification or issuance of stock) with an Interested Stockholder.

Article XVII does not apply to any business combination with an Interested Stockholder:

(1) that has been approved by a majority of the directors of the company who were members of our board of directors immediately prior to the time an Interested Stockholder involved in a business combination became an Interested Stockholder, or

(2) in which the cash or fair market value of the consideration offered in such business combination is not less than the highest price per share paid by the Interested Stockholder in acquiring any of its holdings of each class of our capital stock.

Our articles of incorporation and by-laws provide for a classified board of directors consisting of not less than seven nor more than fifteen directors. The directors are divided into three classes as nearly equal in number as may be, and directors are elected to serve a term of three years. Under the by-laws, directors may be removed only for cause as set forth therein. Provisions in our by-laws relating to the classified board of directors and removal of directors may only be amended, altered or repealed by the affirmative vote of at least 80% of the outstanding shares entitled to vote in any election.

The description set forth below and in any prospectus supplement of certain provisions of the deposit agreement and of the depositary shares and depositary receipts does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, the form of deposit agreement and form of depositary receipts relating to each series of the preferred stock or preference stock.

We may, at our option, elect to have shares of preferred stock or preference stock be represented by depositary shares. The shares of any series of the preferred stock or preference stock underlying the depositary shares will be deposited under a separate deposit agreement between us and a bank or trust company selected by us as the depositary. The prospectus supplement relating to a series of depositary shares will set forth the name and address of the depositary. Subject to the terms of the deposit agreement, each owner of a depositary share will be entitled, in proportion to the applicable interest in the number of shares of preferred stock or preference stock underlying such depositary share, to all the rights and preferences of the preferred stock or preference stock underlying such depositary share, including dividend, voting, redemption, conversion, exchange and liquidation rights.

The depositary shares will be evidenced by depositary receipts issued pursuant to the deposit agreement, each of which will represent the applicable interest in a number of shares of a particular series of the preferred stock or preference stock described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Unless otherwise specified in the prospectus supplement, a holder of depositary shares is not entitled to receive the shares of preferred stock or preference stock underlying the depositary shares.

Except as otherwise indicated in a prospectus supplement, the following provides a description of the depositary shares and the deposit agreement.

The depositary will distribute all cash dividends or other cash distributions received in respect of the preferred stock or preference stock to the record holders of depositary shares representing such preferred stock or preference stock in proportion to the numbers of such depositary shares owned by such holders on the relevant record date.

In the event of a distribution other than in cash, the depositary will distribute property received by it to the record holders of depositary shares entitled thereto or the depositary may, with our approval, sell such property and distribute the net proceeds from such sale to such holders. The deposit agreement also contains provisions relating to the manner in which any subscription or similar rights offered by us to holders of preferred stock or preference stock shall be made available to holders of depositary shares.

If any preferred stock or preference stock underlying the depositary shares is subject to provisions relating to its conversion or exchange as set forth in the prospectus supplement relating thereto, each record holder of depositary shares will have the right or obligation to convert or exchange such depositary shares pursuant to the terms thereof.

If preferred stock or preference stock underlying the depositary shares is subject to redemption, the depositary shares will be redeemed from the proceeds received by the depositary resulting from the redemption, in whole or in part, of the preferred stock or preference stock held by the depositary. The redemption price per depositary share will be equal to the aggregate redemption price payable with respect to the number of shares of preferred stock or preference stock underlying the depositary shares. Whenever we redeem preferred stock or preference stock from the depositary, the depositary will redeem as of the same redemption date a proportionate number of depositary shares representing the shares of preferred stock or preference stock that were redeemed. If less than all the depositary shares are to be redeemed, the depositary shares to be redeemed will be selected by lot or pro rata as may be determined by us.

After the date fixed for redemption, the depositary shares so called for redemption will no longer be deemed to be outstanding and all rights of the holders of the depositary shares will cease, except the right to receive the redemption price payable upon such redemption. Any funds deposited by us with the depositary for any depositary shares which the holders thereof fail to redeem shall be returned to us after a period of two years from the date such funds are so deposited.

Upon receipt of notice of any meeting or action in lieu of any meeting at which the holders of any shares of preferred stock or preference stock underlying the depositary shares are entitled to vote, the depositary will mail the information contained in such notice to the record holders of the depositary shares relating to such preferred stock or preference stock. Each record holder of such depositary shares on the record date (which will be the same date as the record date for the preferred stock or preference stock) will be entitled to instruct the depositary as to the exercise of the voting rights pertaining to the number of shares of preferred stock or preference stock underlying such holder’s depositary shares. The depositary will endeavor, insofar as practicable, to vote the number of shares of preferred stock or preference stock underlying such depositary shares in accordance with such instructions, and we will agree to take all action which may be deemed necessary by the depositary in order to enable the depositary to do so.

The form of depositary receipt evidencing the depositary shares and any provision of the deposit agreement may at any time be amended by agreement between us and the depositary; provided, however, that any amendment which materially and adversely alters the rights of the existing holders of depositary shares will not be effective unless such amendment has been approved by at least a majority of the depositary shares then outstanding.

We will pay all transfer and other taxes and governmental charges that arise solely from the existence of the depositary arrangements. We will pay charges of the depositary in connection with the initial deposit of the preferred stock or preference stock and any exchange or redemption of the preferred stock or preference stock. Holders of depositary shares will pay all other transfer and other taxes and governmental charges, and, in addition, such other charges as are expressly provided in the deposit agreement to be for their accounts.

We, or at our option, the depositary, will forward to the holders of depositary shares all reports and communications from us which we are required to furnish to the holders of preferred stock or preference stock.

Neither the depositary nor we will be liable if either of us is prevented or delayed by law or any circumstances beyond our control in performing our obligations under the deposit agreement. Our obligations and those of the depositary under the deposit agreement will be limited to performance in good faith of our duties thereunder and we and the depositary will not be obligated to prosecute or defend any legal proceeding in respect of any depositary share or preferred stock unless satisfactory indemnity has been furnished. We and the depositary may rely upon written advice of counsel or accountants, or information provided by persons presenting preferred stock for deposit, holders of depositary shares or other persons believed to be competent and on documents believed to be genuine.

The depositary may resign at any time by delivering to us notice of its election to do so, and we may at any time remove the depositary, any such resignation or removal to take effect upon the appointment of a successor depositary and its acceptance of such appointment. Such successor depositary will be appointed by us within 60 days after delivery of the notice of resignation or removal. The deposit agreement may be terminated at our direction or by the depositary if a period of 90 days shall have expired after the depositary has delivered to us written notice of its election to resign and a successor depositary shall not have been appointed. Upon termination of the deposit agreement, the depositary will discontinue the transfer of depositary receipts, will suspend the distribution of dividends to the holders thereof, and will not give any further notices (other than notice of such termination) or perform any further acts under the deposit agreement except that the depositary will continue to deliver preferred or preference stock certificates, together with such dividends and distributions and the net proceeds of any sales of rights, preferences, privileges or other property in exchange for depositary receipts surrendered. Upon our request, the depositary shall deliver all books, records, certificates evidencing preferred stock, preference stock, depositary receipts and other documents relating to the subject matter of the depositary agreement to us.

Our debt securities, consisting of notes, debentures or other evidences of indebtedness, may be issued from time to time in one or more series:

The senior indenture is included, and the subordinated indenture will be substantially in the form included, as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

Because the following is only a summary of the indentures and the debt securities, it does not contain all information that you may find useful. For further information about the indentures and the debt securities, you should read the indentures. As used in this section of this prospectus under the caption “Description of Debt Securities,” the terms “we,” “us” and “our” refer solely to Westar Energy, Inc. and such references do not include any subsidiaries of Westar Energy, Inc.

The senior debt securities will constitute our unsecured and unsubordinated obligations and the subordinated debt securities will constitute our unsecured and subordinated obligations. A detailed description of the subordination provisions is provided below under the caption “—Certain Terms of the Subordinated Debt Securities—Subordination.” In general, however, if we declare bankruptcy, holders of the senior debt securities will be paid in full before the holders of subordinated debt securities will receive anything.

When we offer to sell a particular series of debt securities, we will describe the specific terms of the securities in a prospectus supplement. The prospectus supplement will set forth the following terms, as applicable, of the debt securities offered thereby:

(1) the designation, aggregate principal amount, currency or composite currency and denominations;

(2) the price at which such debt securities will be issued and, if an index formula or other method is used, the method for determining amounts of principal or interest;

(3) the maturity date and other dates, if any, on which principal will be payable;

(5) the date or dates from which interest will accrue and on which interest will be payable, and the record dates for the payment of interest;

(8) the terms of any mandatory or optional redemption by the company or any third party including any sinking fund;

(10) the terms of any redemption at the option of holders or put by the holders;

(12) if the debt securities provide that payments of principal or interest may be made in a currency other than that in which debt securities are denominated, the manner for determining such payments;

(13) the portion of principal payable upon acceleration of a Discounted Debt Security (as defined below);

(15) any events of default or covenants in addition to or in lieu of those set forth in the indentures;

(16) provisions for electronic issuance of debt securities or for debt securities in uncertificated form;

(17) the right, if any, to “reopen” a series of debt securities and issue additional debt securities of such series; and

(18) any additional provisions or other special terms not inconsistent with the provisions of the indentures, including any terms that may be required or advisable under United States or other applicable laws or regulations, or advisable in connection with the marketing of the debt securities.

Debt securities of any series may be issued as registered debt securities, bearer debt securities or uncertificated debt securities, and in such denominations as specified in the terms of the series. In connection with its original issuance, no bearer security will be offered, sold or delivered to any location in the United States, and a bearer security in definitive form may be delivered in connection with its original issuance only upon presentation of a certificate in a form prescribed by the company to comply with United States laws and regulations. You may present debt securities for exchange and for transfer in the manner, at the places and subject to the restrictions set forth in the debt securities and the prospectus supplement. We will provide you those services without charge, although you may have to pay any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection with any exchange or transfer, as set forth in the indentures.

Debt securities will bear interest at a fixed rate or a floating rate. Securities may be issued under the senior or subordinated indentures as Discounted Debt Securities to be offered and sold at a substantial discount from the principal amount thereof. “Discounted Debt Security” means a security where the amount of principal due upon acceleration is less than the stated principal amount. Special United States federal income tax considerations applicable to any such discounted debt securities or to certain debt securities issued at par which are treated as having been issued at a discount for United States federal income tax purposes will be described in the relevant prospectus supplement.

We may issue debt securities with the principal amount payable on any principal payment date, or the amount of interest payable on any interest payment date, to be determined by reference to one or more currency exchange rates, securities or baskets of securities, commodity prices or indices. You may receive a payment of principal on any principal payment date, or a payment of interest on any interest payment date, that is greater than or less than the amount of principal or interest otherwise payable on such dates, depending upon the value on such dates of the applicable currency, security or basket of securities, commodity or index. Information as to the methods for determining the amount of principal or interest payable on any date, the currencies, securities or baskets of securities, commodities or indices to which the amount payable on such date is linked and certain additional tax considerations will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

We only have a shareholder’s claim on the assets of our subsidiaries. This shareholder’s claim is junior to the claims that creditors of our subsidiaries have against our subsidiaries (other than subsidiary guarantors). Holders of our debt securities are our creditors and not creditors of any of our subsidiaries (other than subsidiary guarantors). As a result, all the existing and future liabilities of our subsidiaries (other than any subsidiary guarantors with respect to any series of debt securities that may be guaranteed), including any claims of their creditors, are effectively senior to the debt securities with respect to the assets of our subsidiaries.

Our ability to pay our obligations, including our obligation to pay interest on the debt securities, to repay the principal amount of the debt securities at maturity or upon redemption or to buy back the debt securities will depend in part upon our subsidiaries’ earnings and their distribution of those earnings to us and upon our subsidiaries repaying investments and advances we have made to them. Our subsidiaries are separate and distinct legal entities and, except for any subsidiary guarantors with respect to any guarantees, have no obligation, contingent or otherwise, to pay any amounts due on the debt securities or to make funds available to us to do so. Our subsidiaries’ ability to pay dividends or make other payments or advances to us will depend upon their operating results and will be subject to applicable laws and contractual restrictions. Our indentures will not limit our subsidiaries’ ability to enter into other agreements that prohibit or restrict dividends or other payments or advances to us. Our Credit Agreement dated as of February 18, 2011 and our Fourth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated September 29, 2011, limit our subsidiaries’ ability to enter into other agreements that prohibit or restrict dividends or other payments or advances to us.

The debt securities are unsecured obligations. Our secured debt is effectively senior to the debt securities to the extent of the value of the assets securing such secured debt. Substantially all of our utility assets are subject to liens under the mortgage pursuant to which we have issued our first mortgage bonds.

Our obligations under the senior debt securities, including the payment of principal, premium, if any, any interest, may be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by one or more of our wholly-owned subsidiaries named in a prospectus supplement. Such guarantees will rank equally with all other general unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of such subsidiary guarantors.

Any covenants which may apply to a particular series of senior debt securities will be described in the prospectus supplement relating thereto.

The senior indenture provides that, unless otherwise specified in the securities resolution or supplemental indenture establishing a series of senior debt securities, we shall not consolidate with or merge into, or transfer all or substantially all of its assets to, any person in any transaction in which we are not the survivor, unless:

(1) the person is organized under the laws of the United States or a State thereof or is organized under the laws of a foreign jurisdiction and consents to the jurisdiction of the courts of the United States or a State thereof;

(2) the person assumes by supplemental indenture all of our obligations under the senior indenture, the senior debt securities and any coupons;

(3) all required approvals of any regulatory body having jurisdiction over the transaction shall have been obtained; and

(4) immediately after the transaction no Default (as defined in “—Default and Remedies”) exists.

The successor shall be substituted for us, and thereafter all our obligations under the senior indenture, the senior debt securities and any coupons shall terminate.

Registered senior debt securities may be exchanged for an equal aggregate principal amount of registered senior debt securities of the same series and date of maturity in such authorized denominations as may be requested upon surrender of the registered senior debt securities at an agency maintained by us for such purpose and upon fulfillment of all other requirements of such agent.

Unless the securities resolution or supplemental indenture establishing the series otherwise provides (in which event the prospectus supplement will so state), an “Event of Default” with respect to a series of senior debt securities will occur if:

(1) an Obligor defaults in any payment of interest on any senior debt securities of such series when the same becomes due and payable and the default continues for a period of 60 days;

(2) an Obligor defaults in the payment of the principal and premium, if any, of any senior debt securities of such series when the same becomes due and payable at maturity or upon redemption, acceleration or otherwise and such default shall continue for five or more days;

(3) an Obligor defaults in the payment or satisfaction of any sinking fund obligation with respect to any senior debt securities of such series as required by the securities resolution or supplemental indenture establishing such series and the default continues for a period of 60 days;

(4) an Obligor defaults in the performance of any of its other agreements applicable to the series and the default continues for 90 days after the notice specified below;

(B) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case,

(6) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:

(B) appoints a Custodian for an Obligor or for all or substantially all of its property, or

The term “Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11, U.S. Code or any similar Federal or State law for the relief of debtors. The term “Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or a similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.

“Default” means any event which is, or after notice or passage of time would be, an Event of Default. A Default under subparagraph (4) above is not an Event of Default until the trustee or the holders of at least 33-1/3% in principal amount of the series notify us of the Default and we do not cure the Default within the time specified after receipt of the notice.

For purposes of this section, the term “Obligor” shall mean each of us and any subsidiary guarantor identified in a securities resolution or supplemental indenture, in each case excluding such entity’s subsidiaries.

If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing on a series, the trustee by notice to the Company, or the holders of at least 33-1/3% in principal amount of the series by notice to the Company and the trustee, may declare the principal of and accrued interest on all the securities of the series to be due and payable immediately. Discounted debt securities may provide that the amount of principal due upon acceleration is less than the stated principal amount.

The holders of a majority in principal amount of the series by notice to the trustee may rescind an acceleration and its consequences if the rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree and if all existing Events of Default on the series have been cured or waived except nonpayment of principal or interest that has become due solely because of the acceleration.

The trustee may require indemnity satisfactory to it before it enforces the senior indenture or the senior debt securities of the series. Subject to certain limitations, holders of a majority in principal amount of the senior debt securities of the series may direct the trustee in its exercise of any trust or power with respect to such series. The trustee is required, within 90 days after the occurrence thereof, to give to the holders of the senior debt securities notice of all Defaults known to the trustee to have occurred and be continuing. Except in the case of Default in payment on a series, the trustee may withhold from holders of such series notice of any continuing Default if the trustee determines that withholding notice is in the interest of such holders. We are required to furnish the trustee annually a brief certificate as to our compliance with all conditions and covenants under the senior indenture.

The failure to redeem any senior debt securities when such redemption is subject to the occurrence of a condition prior to redemption, is not an Event of Default if any event on which such redemption is so conditioned does not occur and is not waived before the scheduled redemption date.

The senior indenture does not have a cross-default provision. Thus, a default by any Obligor on any other debt, including any other series of senior debt securities, would not constitute an Event of Default.

The senior indenture and the senior debt securities or any coupons of the series may be amended, and any default may be waived as follows:

Unless the securities resolution or supplemental indenture otherwise provides (in which event the applicable prospectus supplement will so state), the senior debt securities and the senior indenture may be amended with the consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the senior debt securities of all series affected voting as one class. Unless the securities resolution or supplemental indenture otherwise provides (in which event the applicable prospectus supplement will so state), a Default on a particular series may be waived with the consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the senior debt securities of the series, except for a Default in payment of interest or principal or a Default in respect of a provision of the senior indenture that cannot be amended without the consent of each holder affected. However, without the consent of each holder affected, no amendment or waiver may:

(1) reduce the amount of senior debt securities whose holders must consent to an amendment or waiver;

(2) reduce the interest on or change the time for payment of interest on any senior debt security;

(4) reduce the principal of any non-Discounted Debt Security or reduce the amount of the principal of any Discounted Debt Security that would be due on acceleration thereof;

(5) change the currency in which the principal or interest on a senior debt security is payable;

(6) make any change that materially adversely affects the right to convert any senior debt security; or

(7) change the provisions of the senior indenture regarding waiver of Defaults and amendments, except to increase the amount of senior debt securities whose holders must consent to an amendment or waiver, or to provide that other provisions of the senior indenture cannot be amended or waived without the consent of each holder affected thereby.

Without the consent of any holder, the senior indenture or the senior debt securities may be amended:

(2) to provide for assumption of our obligations to securityholders in the event of a merger or consolidation requiring such assumption;

(3) to provide that specific provisions of the indenture shall not apply to a series of senior debt securities not previously issued;

(6) to make any change that does not materially adversely affect the rights of any holder.

Senior debt securities of a series may be defeased in accordance with their terms and, unless the securities resolution or supplemental indenture establishing the terms of the series otherwise provides, as set forth below. We at any time may terminate as to a series all of our obligations (except for certain obligations, including obligations with respect to the defeasance trust and obligations to register the transfer or exchange of a debt security, to replace destroyed, lost or stolen senior debt securities and coupons and to maintain paying agencies in respect of the debt securities) with respect to the senior debt securities of the series and any related coupons and the senior indenture (legal defeasance). We at any time may terminate as to a series our obligations with respect to any restrictive covenants which may be applicable to a particular series (covenant defeasance).

We may exercise our legal defeasance option notwithstanding our prior exercise of our covenant defeasance option. If we exercise our legal defeasance option, a series may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default. If we exercise our covenant defeasance option, a series may not be accelerated by reference to any covenant which may be applicable to a series.

To exercise either defeasance option as to a series, we must (1) irrevocably deposit in trust (the defeasance trust) with the trustee or another trustee, money or U.S. Government Obligations, (2) deliver a certificate from a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, expressing such firm’s opinion that the payments of principal and interest when due on the deposited U.S. Government Obligations, without reinvestment, plus any deposited money without investment will provide cash at such times and in such amounts as will be sufficient to pay the principal and interest when due on all senior debt securities of such series to maturity or redemption, as the case may be, and (3) comply with certain other conditions. In particular, we must obtain an opinion of tax counsel that the defeasance will not result in recognition of any gain or loss to holders for Federal income tax purposes.

“U.S. Government Obligations” means direct obligations of the United States or any agency or instrumentality of the United States, the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed by the United States, which, in either case, have the full faith and credit of the United States pledged for payment and which are not callable at the issuer’s option, or certificates representing an ownership interest in such obligations.

Unless otherwise indicated in a prospectus supplement, the trustee will also act as transfer agent and paying agent with respect to the senior debt securities. We may remove the trustee with or without cause if we so notify the trustee three months in advance and if no Default occurs during the three-month period. The trustee provides services to us as a depository of funds, registrar, trustee and similar services.

Other than the terms of the subordinated indenture and subordinated debt securities relating to subordination, or otherwise as described in the prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of subordinated debt securities, the terms of the subordinated indenture and subordinated debt securities are identical in all material respects to the terms of the senior indenture and senior debt securities.

The indebtedness evidenced by the subordinated debt securities is subordinate to the prior payment in full of all our Senior Indebtedness (defined below). During the continuance beyond any applicable grace period of any default in the payment of principal, premium, interest or any other payment due on any of our Senior Indebtedness, we may not make any payment of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on the subordinated debt securities. In addition, upon any payment or distribution of our assets upon any dissolution, winding up, liquidation or reorganization, the payment of the principal of, or premium, if any, and interest on the subordinated debt securities will be subordinated to the extent provided in the subordinated indenture in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all our Senior Indebtedness. Because of this subordination, if we dissolve or otherwise liquidate, holders of our subordinated debt securities may receive less, ratably, than holders of our Senior Indebtedness. The subordination provisions do not prevent the occurrence of an event of default under the subordinated indenture.

The term “Senior Indebtedness” of a person means with respect to such person the principal of, premium, if any, interest on, and any other payment due pursuant to any of the following, whether outstanding on the date of the subordinated indenture or incurred by that person in the future:

unless, in the case of any particular indebtedness, lease, renewal, extension or refunding, the instrument or lease creating or evidencing it or the assumption or guarantee relating to it expressly provides that such indebtedness, lease, renewal, extension or refunding is not superior in right of payment to the subordinated debt securities. Our senior debt securities, and any unsubordinated guarantee obligations of ours or any subsidiary guarantor to which we and such guarantor are a party, including our, and the subsidiary guarantors’, guarantees of each others’ debt securities and other indebtedness for borrowed money, constitute Senior Indebtedness for purposes of the subordinated debt indenture.

The terms, if any, on which debt securities being offered may be exchanged for or converted into other debt securities or shares of preferred stock, preference stock, common stock or other securities or rights of ours (including rights to receive payments in cash or securities based on the value, rate or price of one or more specified commodities, currencies or indices) or securities of other issuers or any combination of the foregoing will be set forth in the prospectus supplement for such debt securities being offered.

Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, the following provisions will apply to debt securities being offered that may be exchanged for or converted into capital stock:

The holder of any debt securities convertible into capital stock will have the right exercisable at any time during the time period specified in the prospectus supplement, unless previously redeemed by us, to convert such debt securities into shares of capital stock, which may include preferred stock, preference stock or common stock, as specified in the prospectus supplement, at the conversion rate for each $1,000 principal amount of debt securities set forth in the prospectus supplement, subject to adjustment.

The holder of a convertible debt security may convert a portion thereof which is $1,000 or any multiple of $1,000. In the case of debt securities called for redemption, conversion rights will expire at the close of business on the business day prior to the date fixed for redemption as may be specified in the prospectus supplement, except that in the case of redemption at the option of the debt security holder, if applicable, such right will terminate upon receipt of written notice of the exercise of such option.

Unless the terms of the specific debt securities being offered provide otherwise, in certain events, the conversion rate for debt securities convertible into common stock will be subject to adjustment as set forth in the applicable indenture if we:

No adjustment of the conversion rate will be required unless an adjustment would require a cumulative increase or decrease of at least 1% in such rate. The conversion rate for debt securities convertible into securities other than our common stock may be subject to adjustment pursuant to the applicable securities resolution.

Convertible debt securities surrendered for conversion between the record date for an interest payment, if any, and the interest payment date, except convertible debt securities called for redemption on a redemption date during such period, must be accompanied by payment of an amount equal to the interest thereon which the registered holder is to receive.

The first mortgage bonds will be issued under and secured by the Mortgage and Deed of Trust, dated July 1, 1939, between us and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as successor to the BNY Midwest Trust Company, as successor to Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as trustee, as supplemented and amended by supplemental indentures. We refer to the original mortgage, as so supplemented and amended, as the mortgage. All the first mortgage bonds issued or issuable under the mortgage are referred to as the “bonds.” We have summarized below the material provisions of the mortgage and the bonds or indicated which material provisions will be described in the related prospectus supplement. These descriptions are only summaries, and you should

refer to the mortgage itself which describes completely the terms and definitions summarized below and contains additional information about the bonds.

The bonds, when issued, may rank equally with the bonds of other series then outstanding, and may be issued having dates, maturities, interest rates, redemption prices and other terms as may be determined by our board of directors. Additional bonds may be issued under the mortgage in principal amounts not exceeding the sum of:

(1) 60% (so long as any bonds issued prior to January 1, 1997 remain outstanding, and thereafter 70%) of the net bondable value of property additions not subject to an unfunded prior lien;

(2) the principal amount of bonds retired or to be retired (except out of trust monies); and

(3) the amount of cash deposited with the trustee for such purpose, which may thereafter be withdrawn upon the same basis that additional bonds are issuable under (1) or (2) above.

Additional bonds may not be issued on the basis of property additions subject to an unfunded prior lien.

In addition to the restrictions discussed above, so long as any bonds issued prior to January 1, 1997 remain outstanding, additional bonds may not be issued unless our unconsolidated net earnings available for interest, depreciation and property retirements for a period of any 12 consecutive months during the period of 15 calendar months immediately preceding the first day of the month in which the application for authentication and delivery of additional bonds is made shall have been not less than the greater of two times (two and one-half times after all bonds issued prior to January 1, 1997 are no longer outstanding) the annual interest charges on, and 10% of the principal amount of, all bonds then outstanding, all additional bonds then applied for, all outstanding prior lien bonds and all prior lien bonds, if any, then being applied for.

The net earnings test referred to in the previous paragraph need not be satisfied to issue additional bonds:

We have reserved the right to amend the mortgage to eliminate the foregoing requirement. See “—Modification of the Mortgage.”

The mortgage provides that, subject to various limitations, property may be released from the lien thereof on the basis of cash deposited with the trustee, bonds or purchase money obligations delivered to the trustee, prior lien bonds delivered to the trustee, or unfunded net property additions certified to the trustee. The mortgage also permits the withdrawal of cash against the certification to the trustee of gross property additions at 100%, or the net bondable value of property additions at 60% (so long as any bonds issued prior to January 1, 1997 remain outstanding, and thereafter 70%), or the deposit with the trustee of bonds we have acquired. The mortgage contains special provisions with respect to the release of all or substantially all of our gas and electric properties. We have reserved the right to amend the mortgage to change the release and substitution provisions. See “—Modification of the Mortgage.”

The bonds when issued will be secured, equally and ratably with all of the bonds now outstanding or hereafter issued under the mortgage, by the lien on substantially all of our fixed property and franchises

purported to be conveyed by the mortgage including after-acquired property of the character intended to be mortgaged property, subject to the exceptions referred to below, to certain minor leases and easements, permitted liens, exceptions and reservations in the instruments by which we acquired title to our property and the prior lien of the trustee for compensation, expenses and liability.

There is further expressly excepted any property of any other corporation, all the securities of which may be owned or later acquired by us. The lien of the mortgage does not apply to property of KGE so long as KGE remains our wholly-owned subsidiary, to the stock of KGE owned by us or to the stock of any of our other subsidiaries. The mortgage permits our consolidation or merger with, or the conveyance of all or substantially all of our property to, any other corporation; provided, among other things, that the successor corporation assumes the due and punctual payment of the principal and interest on the bonds of all series then outstanding under the mortgage and assumes the due and punctual performance of all the covenants and conditions of the mortgage.

We only have a shareholder’s claim on the assets of our subsidiaries. This shareholder’s claim is junior to the claims that creditors of our subsidiaries have against our subsidiaries. Holders of our bonds are our creditors and not creditors of any of our subsidiaries. As a result, all the existing and future liabilities of our subsidiaries, including any claims of their creditors, are effectively senior to the bonds with respect to the assets of our subsidiaries.

The bonds are our obligations exclusively. To the extent that our ability to service our debt, including the bonds, may be dependent upon the earnings of our subsidiaries, our ability to do so will be dependent on the ability of our subsidiaries to distribute those earnings to us as dividends, loans or other payments. Our subsidiaries are separate and distinct legal entities and have no obligation, contingent or otherwise, to pay any amounts due on the bonds or to make funds available to us to do so. Our subsidiaries’ ability to pay dividends or make other payments or advances to us will depend upon their operating results and will be subject to applicable laws and contractual restrictions. The mortgages will not limit our subsidiaries’ ability to enter into other agreements that prohibit or restrict dividends or other payments or advances to us. Our Credit Agreement dated as of February 18, 2011 and our Fourth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated September 29, 2011, limit our subsidiaries’ ability to enter into other agreements that prohibit or restrict dividends or other payments or advances to us.

The mortgage may be modified or altered, subject to our rights and obligations and the rights of holders of bonds, by the written consent of the holders of at least 60% in principal amount of all of the bonds outstanding thereunder, and, if the rights of one or more, but less than all, series of bonds then outstanding are to be affected by action taken pursuant to such consent, then also by consent of the holders of at least 60% in principal amount of each series of bonds so affected. No modification or alteration may be made which will permit the extension of the time or times of payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, or interest (including additional interest) on any bond or a reduction in the rate of interest thereon, or otherwise affect the terms of payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, or interest (including additional interest) on any bond or reduce the

percentages required for the taking of any action thereunder. Bonds owned by us or any affiliated corporation are excluded for the purpose of any vote, determination of a quorum or consent.

The mortgage also provides that without the consent of any holder of any bond issued thereunder, the right of such holder to receive payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, or interest (including additional interest) on, on or after the respective due dates expressed in such bond, or to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or after such respective due dates shall not be impaired or affected.

We have reserved the right, subject to appropriate corporate action, but without the consent or other action of holders of bonds of any series created after January 1, 1997, to make amendments to the mortgage to permit, unless an event of default shall have happened and be continuing, or shall happen as a result of making or granting an application:

(1) the release from the lien of the mortgage of any mortgaged property if the fair value of all of the property constituting the trust estate (excluding the mortgaged property to be released but including any mortgaged property to be acquired by us with the proceeds of, or otherwise in connection with, such release) equals or exceeds an amount equal to 10/7ths of the aggregate principal amount of outstanding bonds and any prior lien bonds outstanding at the time of such release;

(2) in the event we are unable to obtain a release of property as described in clause (1), the release from the lien of the mortgage of any property constituting part of the trust estate if the fair value thereof is less than 1/2 of 1% of the aggregate principal amount of bonds and prior lien bonds outstanding at the time of such release; provided, that the aggregate fair value of the property released pursuant to this clause (2) in any period of 12 consecutive calendar months shall not exceed 1% of such bonds and prior lien bonds;

(3) the deletion of the net earnings test for the issuance of additional bonds or merging into another company;

(4) the deletion of a financial test to be met by another corporation in the event of our consolidation or merger into or our sale of our property as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to such other corporation; and

(5) the deletion of the requirement to obtain an independent engineer’s certificate in connection with certain releases of property from the lien of the mortgage.

We have also reserved the right, subject to appropriate corporate action, but without the consent or other action of holders of bonds of any series created on or after June 1, 2004, to:

(1) Amend the mortgage to allow us or any successor entity to issue substitute bonds (or similar instruments) for any outstanding bonds, provided that such substitute bonds (or similar instruments) carry ratings equal to or better than the then current ratings of the bonds which are being replaced and that certain other conditions are satisfied. The mortgage and deed of trust under which any such substitute bonds (or similar instruments) may be issued may contain terms and conditions different from the mortgage;

(2) Eliminate as an event of default the failure to discharge or stay within 30 days a final judgment against us for the payment of money in excess of $100,000;

(3) Eliminate the net earnings test in connection with certain acquisitions of property;

(5) Make certain amendments to modernize and clarify the terms of the mortgage. These amendments will not adversely affect the rights of holders of bonds and may include the following provisions, among others: (i) simplification of the trustee provisions; (ii) the addition of a governing law clause; (iii) the addition of defeasance provisions for future issuances of bonds; (iv) elimination of maintenance and improvement fund requirements for future issuances of bonds (which requirements will instead be added to specific series of bonds);

(v) simplification of the release provisions for obsolete property, de minimis property releases and substitution of property and unfunded property; (vi) the ability to issue global or uncertificated securities; (vii) clarification of our ability to issue variable rate bonds under the mortgage and (viii) amendment of the definitions of excepted property and permitted liens.

The trustee is required, within 90 days after the occurrence thereof, to give to the holders of the bonds notice of all defaults known to the trustee unless such defaults shall have been cured before the giving of such notice; provided, however, that except in the case of default in the payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, or interest (including additional interest) on any of the bonds, or in the payment or satisfaction of any sinking or purchase fund installment, the trustee shall be protected in withholding notice if and so long as the trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of notice is in the interests of the holders of the bonds. The trustee is under no obligation to defend or initiate any action under the mortgage which would result in the incurring of non-reimbursable expenses unless one or more of the holders of any of the outstanding bonds furnishes the trustee with indemnity satisfactory to it against such expenses. In the event of a default, the trustee is not required to act unless requested to act by holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the bonds then outstanding. In addition, a majority of the holders of the bonds have the right to direct all proceedings under the mortgage provided the trustee is indemnified to its satisfaction.

If an event of default shall have happened and be continuing, the trustee may, in its discretion and, upon written request of not less than 25% of the bondholders, shall by notice in writing delivered to us declare the principal amount of all bonds, if not already due and payable, to be immediately due and payable; and upon any such declaration of all bonds shall become and be immediately due and payable. This provision, however, is subject to the condition that, if at any time after the principal of the bonds shall have been so declared due and payable and prior to the date of maturity thereof as stated in the bonds and before any sale of the trust estate shall have been made, all arrears of interest upon all such bonds (with interest at the rate specified in such bonds on any overdue installment of interest and the expenses of the trustee, its agents and attorneys) shall either be paid by us or be collected and paid out of the trust estate, and defaults as aforesaid (other than the payment of principal which has been so declared due and payable) shall have been made good or secured to the satisfaction of the trustee or provision deemed by the trustee to be adequate shall be made therefor, then, and in every such case, a majority of the bondholders may waive such default and its consequences and rescind such declaration; but no such waiver shall extend to or affect any subsequent default or impair or exhaust any right or power consequent thereon.

We may issue warrants to purchase securities or other securities or rights of ours, including rights to receive payment in cash or securities based on the value, rate or price of one or more specified commodities, currencies or indices, or securities of other issuers or any combination of the foregoing. Warrants may be issued independently or together with any securities and may be attached to or separate from such securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a warrant agent.

The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the following terms of any warrants in respect of which this prospectus is being delivered:

Each purchase contract will entitle the holder thereof to purchase or sell, and obligate us to sell or purchase, on specified dates, such securities, currencies or commodities at a specified purchase price, all as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may, however, satisfy our obligations, if any, with respect to any purchase contract by delivering the cash value thereof or, in the case of underlying currencies, by delivering the underlying currencies, as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. The applicable prospectus supplement will also specify the methods by which the holders may purchase or sell such securities, currencies or commodities, any acceleration, cancellation or termination provisions or other provisions relating to the settlement of a purchase contract and, if applicable, the identity of any of our subsidiaries guaranteeing our obligations with respect to such purchase contracts.

Purchase contracts may require holders to satisfy their obligations thereunder when the purchase contracts are issued. Our obligation to settle such pre-paid purchase contracts on the relevant settlement date may constitute indebtedness. Accordingly, the pre-paid purchase contracts will be issued under one of the indentures.

As specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, units will consist of one or more purchase contracts, warrants, debt securities, preferred stock, common stock or any combination thereof. Reference is made to the applicable prospectus supplement for:

We may issue the first mortgage bonds, debt securities, warrants, purchase contracts and units of any series in the form of one or more fully registered global securities that will be deposited with a depositary or with a nominee for a depositary identified in the prospectus supplement relating to such series and registered in the name of the depositary or its nominee. In that case, one or more global securities will be issued in a denomination or aggregate denominations equal to the portion of the aggregate principal or face amount of outstanding registered securities of the series to be represented by such global securities. Unless and until the depositary exchanges a global security in whole for securities in definitive registered form, the global security may not be transferred except as a whole by the depositary to a nominee of the depositary or by a nominee of the depositary to the depositary or another nominee of the depositary or by the depositary or any of its nominees to a successor of the depositary or a nominee of such successor.

The specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to any portion of a series of securities to be represented by a global security will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to such series. We anticipate that the following provisions will apply to all depositary arrangements.

Ownership of beneficial interests in a global security will be limited to persons that have accounts with the depositary for such global security known as “participants” or persons that may hold interests through such participants. Upon the issuance of a global security, the depositary for such global security will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the participants’ accounts with the respective principal or face amounts of the securities represented by such global security beneficially owned by such participants. The accounts to be credited shall be designated by any dealers, underwriters or agents participating in the distribution of such securities. Ownership of beneficial interests in such global security will be shown on, and the transfer of such ownership interests will be effected only through, records maintained by the depositary for such global

security (with respect to interests of participants) and on the records of participants (with respect to interests of persons holding through participants). The laws of some states may require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of such securities in definitive form. Such limits and such laws may impair the ability to own, transfer or pledge beneficial interests in global securities.

So long as the depositary for a global security, or its nominee, is the registered owner of such global security, such depositary or such nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the securities represented by such global security for all purposes under the applicable indenture, warrant agreement, purchase contract or unit agreement. Except as set forth herein, owners of beneficial interests in a global security will not be entitled to have the securities represented by such global security registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of such securities in definitive form and will not be considered the owners or holders thereof under the applicable indenture, warrant agreement, purchase contract or unit agreement. Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in a global security must rely on the procedures of the depositary for such global security and, if such person is not a participant, on the procedures of the participant through which such person owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a holder under the applicable indenture, warrant agreement, purchase contract or unit agreement. We understand that under existing industry practices, if we request any action of holders or if an owner of a beneficial interest in a global security desires to give or take any action which a holder is entitled to give or take under the applicable indenture, warrant agreement, purchase contract or unit agreement, the depositary for such global security would authorize the participants holding the relevant beneficial interests to give or take such action, and such participants would authorize beneficial owners owning through such participants to give or take such action or would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners holding through them.

Principal, premium, if any, and interest payments on debt securities or first mortgage bonds, and any payments to holders with respect to warrants, purchase contracts or units represented by a global security registered in the name of a depositary or its nominee will be made to such depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner of such global security. None of us, the trustees, the warrant agents, the unit agents or any of our other agents, agent of the trustees or agent of the warrant agents or unit agents will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in such global security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

We expect that the depositary for any securities represented by a global security, upon receipt of any payment of principal, premium, interest or other distributions of underlying securities or commodities to holders in respect of such global security, will immediately credit participants’ accounts in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in such global security as shown on the records of such depositary. We also expect that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in such global security held through such participants will be governed by standing customer instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with the securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name,” and will be the responsibility of such participants.

If the depositary for any securities represented by a global security is at any time unwilling or unable to continue as depositary or ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and we do not appoint a successor depositary registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act within 90 days, we will issue such securities in definitive form in exchange for such global security. In addition, we may at any time and in our sole discretion determine not to have any of the securities of a series represented by one or more global securities and, in such event, will issue securities of such series in definitive form in exchange for all of the global security or securities representing such securities, Any securities issued in definitive form in exchange for a global security will be registered in such name or names as the depositary shall instruct the relevant trustee, warrant agent or other relevant agent of ours. We expect that such instructions will be based upon directions received by the depositary from participants with respect to ownership of beneficial interests in such global security.

We may distribute the securities from time to time in one or more transactions at:

We may directly solicit offers to purchase securities, or we may designate agents to solicit such offers. We will, in the prospectus supplement relating to such offering, name any agent that could be viewed as an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933 and describe any commissions we must pay. Any such agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment or, if indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, on a firm commitment basis. Agents, dealers and underwriters may be customers of, engage in transactions with, or perform services for us in the ordinary course of business.

If any underwriters or agents are utilized in the sale of the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered, we will enter into an underwriting agreement or other agreement with them at the time of sale to them, and we will set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to such offering their names and the terms of our agreement with them.

If a dealer is utilized in the sale of the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered, we will sell such securities to the dealer, as principal. The dealer may then resell such securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by such dealer at the time of resale.

We may engage in at-the-market offerings into an existing trading market in accordance with Rule 415(a)(4). Any at-the-market offering will be through an underwriter or underwriters acting as principal or agent for us.

Remarketing firms, agents, underwriters and dealers may be entitled under agreements which they may enter into with us to indemnification by us against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and may be customers of, engage in transactions with or perform services for us in the ordinary course of business.

In order to facilitate the offering of the securities, any underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the securities or any other securities the prices of which may be used to determine payments on such securities. Specifically, any underwriters may overallot in connection with the offering, creating a short position for their own accounts. In addition, to cover overallotments or to stabilize the price of the securities or of any such other securities, the underwriters may bid for, and purchase, the securities or any such other securities in the open market. Finally, in any offering of the securities through a syndicate of underwriters, the underwriting syndicate may reclaim selling concessions allowed to an underwriter or a dealer for distributing the securities in the offering if the syndicate repurchases previously distributed securities in transactions to cover syndicate short positions, in stabilization transactions or otherwise. Any of these activities may stabilize or maintain the market price of the securities above independent market levels. Any such underwriters are not required to engage in these activities and may end any of these activities at any time.

We may enter into derivative transactions with third parties, or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. If the applicable prospectus supplement indicates, in connection with those derivatives, the third parties may sell securities covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, including in short sale transactions. If so, the third parties may use securities pledged by us or borrowed from us or others to settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings of stock, and may use securities received from us in settlement of those derivatives to close out any related open borrowings of stock. The third parties in such sale transactions will be underwriters or sales agents and, if not identified in this prospectus, will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement (or a post-effective amendment).

We or one of our affiliates may loan or pledge securities to a financial institution or other third party that in turn may sell the securities using this prospectus. Such financial institution or third party may transfer its short position to investors in our securities or in connection with a simultaneous offering of other securities offered by this prospectus or otherwise.

Any underwriter, agent or dealer utilized in the initial offering of securities will not confirm sales to accounts over which it exercises discretionary authority without the prior specific written approval of its customer.

As to matters governed by Kansas law, Larry D. Irick, Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Westar Energy and, as to matters governed by New York law, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP will pass upon the validity of the securities to be offered by this prospectus. As of February 28, 2013, Mr. Irick beneficially owned a number of shares of our common stock, including restricted share units, which represented less than 0.1% of the total outstanding common stock.

The financial statements, and the related financial statement schedule, incorporated in this Prospectus by reference from Westar Energy, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and the effectiveness of Westar Energy, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports, which are incorporated herein by reference. Such financial statements and financial statement schedule have been so incorporated in reliance upon the reports of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

We have filed this prospectus as part of a registration statement on Form S-3 with the SEC. The registration statement contains exhibits and other information that is not contained in this prospectus. In particular, the registration statement includes as exhibits forms of our underwriting agreements, a copy of our senior indenture, a form of subordinated indenture, a copy of our mortgage, forms of our senior debt security and subordinated debt security and specimen common stock, preferred stock and preference stock certificates. We will file a form of unit agreement, purchase contract and pledge agreement, warrant agreement for warrants sold separately, warrant for warrants sold separately, warrant agreement for warrants sold attached to securities, warrant for warrants sold attached to securities, deposit agreement and depositary share under cover of a Current Report on Form 8-K in connection with any issuance of such securities. Our descriptions in this prospectus of the provisions of documents filed as exhibits to the registration statement or otherwise filed with the SEC are only summaries of the documents’ material terms. If you want a complete description of the content of the documents, you should obtain the documents by following the procedures described below.

We file annual, quarterly and special reports and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s public reference room located at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference rooms. Our SEC filings, including the complete registration statement and all of the exhibits to it are available through the SEC’s web site at http://www.sec.gov.

You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus, in the accompanying prospectus supplement and in material we file with the SEC and incorporate by reference herein. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information that is different. We are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, the securities described in this prospectus only where offers and sales are permitted. The information contained in this prospectus, the prospectus supplement and our filings with the SEC is accurate only as of its date, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus and the prospectus supplement or of any sale of the securities.

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus. In addition, information we file with the SEC in the future will automatically update and supersede information contained in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement.

This prospectus incorporates by reference the documents set forth below that we have previously filed with the SEC:

We also incorporate by reference into this prospectus additional documents that we may file with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, excluding, in each case, information deemed furnished and not filed until we sell all of the securities we are offering. Any statements contained in a previously filed document incorporated by reference into this prospectus is deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus, or in a subsequently filed document also incorporated by reference herein, modifies or supersedes that statement.

You may request a copy of any of these filings, at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address:

The following table sets forth the estimated costs and expenses payable by the Registrant in connection with the sale of the securities being registered hereby.

Article XVIII of the articles of incorporation provides that a director shall not be personally liable to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director except for liability (1) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, (2) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (3) for paying a dividend or approving a stock repurchase in violation of the Kansas General Corporation Law or (4) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. This provision is specifically authorized by Section 17-6002(b)(8) of the Kansas General Corporation Law.

Section 17-6305 of the Kansas General Corporation Law (the “Indemnification Statute”) provides for indemnification by a corporation of its corporate officers, directors, employees and agents. The Indemnification Statute provides that a corporation may indemnify such persons who have been, are, or may become a party to an action, suit or proceeding due to his or her status as a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation. Further, the Indemnification Statute grants authority to a corporation to implement its own broader indemnification policy. Article XVIII of the articles of incorporation requires us to indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent provided by Kansas law. Further, as is provided for in Article XVIII, we entered into indemnification agreements with our directors, which provide indemnification broader than that available under Article XVIII and the Indemnification Statute.

We maintain standard policies of insurance under which coverage is provided (a) to our directors and officers against loss rising from claims made by reason of breach of duty or other wrongful act, and (b) to us with respect to payments which may be made by us to such officers and directors pursuant to the above indemnification provision or otherwise as a matter of law.

The proposed forms of Underwriting Agreement incorporated by reference as Exhibits 1.1 and 1.2 to this Registration Statement provide for indemnification of our directors and officers by the underwriters against certain liabilities.

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made of securities registered hereby, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price) represent no

more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement;

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) above do not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-3 and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser:

(i) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

(ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities:

The undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

(b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrants pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrants have been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrants will, unless in the opinion of their counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of Topeka, state of Kansas, on March 20, 2013.

We the undersigned directors and officers of Westar Energy, Inc. do hereby constitute and appoint William B. Moore, Larry D. Irick and Mark A. Ruelle, and each of them, our true and lawful attorneys and agents, to do any and all such acts and things in our name and on our behalf in our capacities as directors and officers and to execute any and all instruments for us and in our names in the capacities indicated below, which said attorneys and agents, or either of them, may deem necessary or advisable to enable said corporation to comply with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any rules, regulations and requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, in connection with the Registration Statement, including specifically, but without limitation, power and authority to sign for us or in any of our names and in the capacities indicated below any and all amendments (including post effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, or any related Registration Statement that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended; and we do hereby ratify and confirm all that the said attorneys and agents, or either of them, shall do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties, terms and conditions set forth or incorporated by reference herein, the Company hereby agrees to sell and each of the Underwriters agrees to purchase from the Company, severally and not jointly, the aggregate principal amount of the Offered Securities set forth below opposite their names at a purchase price of [ ], plus accrued interest, if any, from [ ] to the date of payment and delivery (the “Purchase Price”).

For purposes of the Underwriting Agreement, Applicable Time means [ ] (New York time) on the date hereof.

The Underwriters will pay for the Offered Securities upon delivery thereof at the offices of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP,
1600 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, California at 10:00 a.m. (New York time) on [ ], or at such other time, not later than 1:00 p.m. (New York time) on [ ] as shall be designated in writing by the Underwriters and the Company. The time and date of such payment and delivery are hereinafter referred to as the “Closing Date.”

The Offered Securities shall have the terms set forth in the Prospectus dated [ ], 2010 and the Prospectus Supplement dated [ ], including the following:

Capitalized terms used above and not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement referred to above.

All communications hereunder shall be in writing and effective only upon receipt and (a) if to the Underwriters, shall be delivered, mailed or sent via facsimile in care of [ ], facsimile number [ ], Attention: [ ], or (b) if to the Company, shall be delivered, mailed or sent via facsimile to 818 South Kansas Avenue, Topeka, Kansas 66612, facsimile number [ ], Attention: [ ].

The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to the offering of Offered Securities contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company or any other person and will not claim that the Underwriters are acting in such capacity in connection with the offering of the Offered Securities contemplated hereby. Additionally, none of the Underwriters is advising the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction with respect to the offering of Offered Securities contemplated hereby. The Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto. Any review by the Underwriters of the Company, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Company.

Except as set forth herein, all provisions contained in the document entitled Westar Energy, Inc. Underwriting Agreement Standard Provisions (Debt Securities, First Mortgage Bonds, Warrants, Purchase Contracts and Units) dated [ ], (the “Standard Provisions”), a copy of which is attached hereto, are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety and shall be deemed to be a part of this Agreement to the same extent as if such provisions had been set forth in full herein, except that (i) if any term defined in such document is otherwise defined herein, the definition set forth herein shall control, (ii) all references in such document to a type of security that is not an Offered Security shall not be deemed to be a part of this Agreement and (iii) all references in such document to a type of agreement that has not been entered into in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby shall not be deemed to be a part of this Agreement.

Please confirm your agreement by having an authorized officer sign a copy of this Agreement in the space set forth below.

1. Base Prospectus dated [ ] relating to the Offered Securities and included in the Registration Statement (File No. [ ])

2. The preliminary prospectus supplement dated [ ] relating to the Offered Securities.

3. Final term sheet containing the final terms of the Offered Securities as set forth in Schedule II hereto and filed with the Commission under Rule 433

We (the “Managers”) are acting on behalf of the underwriter or underwriters (including ourselves) named below (such underwriter or underwriters being herein called the “Underwriters”), and we understand that Westar Energy, Inc., a Kansas corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell $[ ] aggregate principal amount of its First Mortgage Bonds, [ ]% Series Due [ ] (the “Offered Securities”). The Offered Securities are to be to be issued under and secured by the Mortgage and Deed of Trust, dated July 1, 1939, between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as successor to Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as amended and supplemented by [ ] indentures supplemental thereto (such Mortgage and Deed of Trust, as heretofore amended and supplemented, the “Mortgage”) and as to be amended and supplemented by a [ ] supplemental indenture thereto, to be dated as of [ , 20 ] (the “[ ] Supplemental Indenture”) (the Mortgage, as amended and supplemented, the “Amended Mortgage”).

Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties, terms and conditions set forth or incorporated by reference herein, the Company hereby agrees to sell and each of the Underwriters agrees to purchase from the Company, severally and not jointly, the aggregate principal amount of the Offered Securities set forth below opposite their names at a purchase price of [ ], plus accrued interest, if any, from [ ] to the date of payment and delivery (the “Purchase Price”).

For purposes of the Underwriting Agreement, Applicable Time means [ ] (New York time) on the date hereof.

The Underwriters will pay for the Offered Securities upon delivery thereof at the offices of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, 1600 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, California at 10:00 a.m. (New York time) on [ ], or at such other time, not later than 1:00 p.m. (New York time) on [ ] as shall be designated in writing by the Underwriters and the Company. The time and date of such payment and delivery are hereinafter referred to as the “Closing Date.”

The Offered Securities shall have the terms set forth in the Prospectus dated [ ], 2010 and the Prospectus Supplement dated [ ], including the following:

Capitalized terms used above and not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement referred to above.

Please confirm your agreement by having an authorized officer sign a copy of this Agreement in the space set forth below.

1. Base Prospectus dated [ ] relating to the Offered Securities and included in the Registration Statement (File No. [ ])

2. The preliminary prospectus supplement dated [ ] relating to the Offered Securities.

3. Final term sheet containing the final terms of the Offered Securities as set forth in Schedule II hereto and filed with the Commission under Rule 433

Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties, terms and conditions set forth or incorporated by reference herein, the Company hereby agrees to sell and each of the Underwriters agrees to purchase from the Company, severally and not jointly, the aggregate number of Offered Securities set forth below opposite their names at a purchase price of $[ ] per Offered Security, (the “Purchase Price”).

For purposes of the Underwriting Agreement, Applicable Time means [ ] (New York time) on the date hereof.

The Underwriters will pay for the Offered Securities upon delivery thereof at the offices of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP,
1600 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, CA at 10:00 a.m. (New York time) on [ ], or at such other time, not later than 1:00 p.m. (New York time) on [ ], as shall be designated in writing by the Underwriters and the Company. The time and date of such payment and delivery are hereinafter referred to as the “Closing Date.”

The Offered Securities shall have the terms set forth in the Prospectus dated [ ], 2010, and the Prospectus Supplement dated [ ], including the following:

Capitalized terms used above and not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement referred to above.

Please confirm your agreement by having an authorized officer sign a copy of this Agreement in the space set forth below.

1. Base Prospectus dated [ ] relating to the Offered Securities and included in the Registration Statement (File No. [ ])

2. The preliminary prospectus supplement dated [ ] relating to the Offered Securities.

3. Final term sheet containing the final terms of the Offered Securities as set forth in Schedule II hereto and filed with the Commission under Rule 433

Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties, terms and conditions set forth or incorporated by reference herein, the Company hereby agrees to sell and each of the Underwriters agrees to purchase from the Company, severally and not jointly, the aggregate number of Offered Securities set forth below opposite their names at a purchase price of per Offered Security, (the “Purchase Price”).

For purposes of the Underwriting Agreement, Applicable Time means [ ] (New York time) on the date hereof.

The Underwriters will pay for the Offered Securities upon delivery thereof at the offices of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, 1600 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, California at 10:00 a.m. (New York time) on [ ], or at such other time, not later than
1:00 p.m. (New York time) on [ ], as shall be designated in writing by the Underwriters and the Company. The time and date of such payment and delivery are hereinafter referred to as the “Closing Date.”

The Offered Securities shall have the terms set forth in the Prospectus dated [ ], 2010 and the Prospectus Supplement dated [ ], including the following:

Capitalized terms used above and not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement referred to above.

Except as set forth herein, all provisions contained in the document entitled Westar Energy, Inc. Underwriting Agreement Standard Provisions (Debt Securities, First Mortgage Bonds, Warrants, Purchase Contracts and Units) dated [ ] (the “Standard Provisions”), a copy of which is attached hereto, are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety and shall be deemed to be a part of this Agreement to the same extent as if such provisions had been set forth in full herein, except that (i) if any term defined in such document is otherwise defined herein, the definition set forth herein shall control, (ii) all references in such document to a type of security that is not an Offered Security shall not be deemed to be a part of this Agreement and (iii) all references in such document to a type of agreement that has not been entered into in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby shall not be deemed to be a part of this Agreement.

Please confirm your agreement by having an authorized officer sign a copy of this Agreement in the space set forth below.

1. Base Prospectus dated [ ] relating to the Offered Securities and included in the Registration Statement (File No. [ ]).

2. The preliminary prospectus supplement dated [ ] relating to the Offered Securities.

3. Final term sheet containing the final terms of the Offered Securities as set forth in Schedule II hereto and filed with the Commission under Rule 433.

We (the “Managers”) are acting on behalf of the underwriter or underwriters (including ourselves) named below (such underwriter or underwriters being herein called the “Underwriters”), and we understand that Westar Energy, Inc., a Kansas corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell [number and title of units] Units (the “Offered Securities”) consisting of [$ aggregate principal amount of % Notes Due ] [number and title of Warrants] [number and title of Purchase Contracts]. The Offered Securities are to be issued pursuant to the provisions of a Unit Agreement (the “Unit Agreement”) dated as of [ ] among the Company, [ ], as Agent, and the holders from time to time of the Units. [The Debt Securities included in the Offered Securities will be issued pursuant to the [specify the indenture].] [The Warrants included in the Offered Securities will be issued pursuant to the [specify the warrant agreement.]] [The Purchase Contracts included in the Offered Securities will be issued pursuant to the Unit Agreement.]

Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties, terms and conditions set forth or incorporated by reference herein, the Company hereby agrees to sell and each of the Underwriters agrees to purchase from the Company, severally and not jointly, the aggregate number of Offered Securities set forth below opposite their names at a purchase price of $[ ], plus accrued interest, if any, from [ ] to the date of payment and delivery (the “Purchase Price”).

For purposes of the Underwriting Agreement, Applicable Time means [ ] (New York time) on the date hereof.

The Underwriters will pay for the Offered Securities upon delivery thereof at the offices of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, 1600 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, CA at 10:00 a.m. (New York time) on , , or at such other time, not later than 1:00 p.m. (New York time) on , , as shall be designated in writing by the Underwriters and the Company. The time and date of such payment and delivery are hereinafter referred to as the “Closing Date.”

The Offered Securities shall have the terms set forth in the Prospectus dated [ ], 2010, and the Prospectus Supplement dated [ ], including the following:

Capitalized terms used above and not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement referred to above.

Please confirm your agreement by having an authorized officer sign a copy of this Agreement in the space set forth below.

1. Base Prospectus dated [ ] relating to the Offered Securities and included in the Registration Statement (File No. [ ])

2. The preliminary prospectus supplement dated [ ] relating to the Offered Securities.

3. Final term sheet containing the final terms of the Offered Securities as set forth in Schedule II hereto and filed with the Commission under Rule 433

From time to time, Westar Energy, Inc., a Kansas corporation (the “Company”), may enter into one or more underwriting agreements that provide for the sale of designated securities to the several underwriters named therein. The standard provisions set forth herein may be incorporated by reference in any such underwriting agreement (an “Underwriting Agreement”). The Underwriting Agreement, including the provisions incorporated therein by reference, is herein referred to as this Agreement. Terms defined in the Underwriting Agreement are used herein as therein defined.

The Company proposes to issue from time to time (a) its senior debt securities (“Senior Debt Securities”), (b) its subordinated debt securities (“Subordinated Debt Securities” and with the Senior Debt Securities, the “Debt Securities”), (c) its First Mortgage Bonds (“First Mortgage Bonds”), (d) warrants (“Warrants”) and (e) purchase contracts (“Purchase Contracts”) requiring the holders thereof to purchase or sell (i) securities of an entity unaffiliated with the Company, a basket of such securities, an index or indices of such securities or any combination of the above, (ii) currencies or composite currencies or (iii) commodities. Debt Securities, Purchase Contracts and Warrants or any combination thereof may be offered in the form of Units (“Units”). As used herein, the term “Debt Securities” includes Purchase Contracts.

The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement including a prospectus relating to the Debt Securities, First Mortgage Bonds, Warrants, Purchase Contracts and Units (collectively, the “Securities”) and has filed with, or transmitted for filing to, or shall promptly after the date of the Underwriting Agreement file with or transmit for filing to, the Commission a prospectus supplement (the “Prospectus Supplement”) pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), specifically relating to the Securities offered pursuant to this Agreement (the “Offered Securities”). The term “Registration Statement” means the registration statement as amended to the date of the Underwriting Agreement including any additional registration statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b). The term “Base Prospectus” means the prospectus included in the Registration Statement. The term “Prospectus” means the Base Prospectus together with the Prospectus Supplement. The term “preliminary prospectus” means a preliminary prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Offered Securities, together with the Base Prospectus. The term “free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act. The term “issuer free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 433 under the Securities Act. The term “Time of Sale Prospectus” means the Base Prospectus and preliminary prospectus, if any, together with any additional documents or other information identified in Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement. As used herein, the terms “Base Prospectus,” “Prospectus”, “preliminary prospectus” and “Time of Sale Prospectus” shall include in each case the documents, if any, incorporated by reference therein. As used herein, the term “Applicable Time” means the time and date set forth in the Underwriting Agreement or such other time as agreed in writing by the Company and the Managers. The terms “supplement,” “amendment” and “amend” as used herein shall include all documents deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus that are filed subsequent to the date of the Base Prospectus by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).

1. Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to each of the Underwriters as of the date of the Underwriting Agreement that:

(i) The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act and has become effective; the Company has not received any notice from the Commission objecting to the use of the automatic shelf registration form; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Company is a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act and otherwise meets the requirements for the use of the Registration Statement form.

(ii) Each document filed or to be filed pursuant to the Exchange Act and incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus complied or will comply when so filed in all material respects with the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

(iii) Each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission. (A) Each part of the Registration Statement, when such part became effective, did not contain, and each such part, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (B) the Time of Sale Prospectus as of the Applicable Time did not contain or as amended or supplemented, if applicable, as of the Closing Date, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and (C) the Prospectus as of its date does not contain, or as amended or supplemented, if applicable, as of the Closing Date will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The foregoing representations and warranties in this Section I (iii) do not apply to (A) that part of the Registration Statement which shall constitute the Statement of Eligibility of the Trustee on Form T-1 (the “Form T-1”) or (B) statements or omissions in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto based upon information furnished to the Company in writing by any Underwriter through the Managers expressly for use therein.

(iv) The Company has been duly incorporated, and is validly existing, as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Kansas.

(v) The Offered Securities have been duly authorized by the Company and, when executed and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability, and will be entitled to the benefits of the [Senior Debt Indenture, the Subordinated Debt Indenture, the Amended Mortgage (as defined herein)].

(vi) The Company has an authorized and outstanding capitalization as set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

(vii) The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” in connection with the offering pursuant to Rules 164, 405 and 433 under the Securities Act. The Company has not made, used, prepared, authorized, approved or referred to any offer relating to the Offered Securities that would constitute a free writing prospectus other than (a) any written communications furnished in advance to the Managers, to which the Managers shall have the right to reasonably object in writing; (b) an electronic road show, if any, furnished to the Managers before first use; or (c) free writing prospectuses identified on Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement relating to the Offered Securities, including any term sheet as may be set forth in Schedule II to the Underwriting Agreement relating to the Offered Securities. Any such free writing prospectus as of its issue date complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder and was filed with the Commission in accordance with the Securities Act (to the extent required pursuant to Rule 433(d) thereunder).

(viii) The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement, the Senior Debt Indenture, the Subordinated Debt Indenture, the Amended Mortgage (as defined herein), the Offered Securities, any Warrants, any Purchase Contracts and any Units will not contravene any provision of applicable law or the articles of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is material to the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its consolidated subsidiaries, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, the Senior Debt Indenture, the Subordinated Debt Indenture, the Amended Mortgage, the Offered Securities, except such as may be required by the securities or blue sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Offered Securities.

(ix) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (a) in violation of its articles of incorporation or by-laws (or similar organizational documents), (b) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, covenant or condition contained in any contract or (c) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except in the case of clause (b) or (c), to the extent such violation or default would not have a material adverse effect.

(x) There has not occurred any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus (exclusive of any amendments or supplements thereto effected subsequent to the date of this Agreement).

(xi) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened to which the Company or any of its consolidated subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its consolidated subsidiaries is subject that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or Prospectus and are not so described or any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or Prospectus or to be filed or incorporated by reference as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described, filed or incorporated as required.

(xii) Each of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries has all necessary consents, authorizations, approvals, orders, certificates, licenses and permits of and from, and has made all declarations and filings with, all federal, state, local and other governmental authorities, all self-regulatory organizations and all courts and other tribunals, to own, lease, license and use its properties and assets and to conduct its business in the manner described in the Time of Sale Prospectus, except to the extent that the failure to obtain or file would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(xiii) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

(xiv) The Company and its subsidiaries maintain “disclosure controls and procedures” (as such term is defined in
Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act); such disclosure controls and procedures are effective.

(xv) The consolidated historical financial statements and schedules of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company as of the dates and for the periods indicated, comply as to form with the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise noted therein). The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

(xvi) Except as set forth in or contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), the Company and the Principal Subsidiary have not received written notice of any actual or potential liability for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, except where such liability would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

(xvii) The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with the applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(xviii) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently subject to any sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

2. Public Offering. The Company is advised by the Managers that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Offered Securities as soon after this Agreement has been entered into as in the Managers’ judgment is advisable. The terms of the public offering of the Offered Securities are set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

3. Purchase and Delivery. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 3 or in the Underwriting Agreement, payment for the Offered Securities shall be made to the Company in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City at the time and place set forth in the Underwriting Agreement, upon delivery to the Managers for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters of the Offered Securities registered in such names and in such denominations as the Managers shall request in writing not less than one full business day prior to the date of delivery, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the transfer of the Offered Securities to the Underwriters duly paid.

4. Conditions to Closing. Unless waived by the Managers, the several obligations of the Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company contained herein as of the date of the Underwriting Agreement and the Closing Date (as if made on the Closing Date) and the performance by the Company of all the obligations to be performed by it under this Agreement on or prior to the Closing Date and the satisfaction of the following conditions:

(a) Subsequent to the Applicable Time and prior to the Closing Date, there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded the Company or any of the securities of the Company by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act.

(b) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission, and there shall not have occurred any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business, properties or operations of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus, that, in the judgment of the Managers, is material and adverse and that makes it, in the judgment of the Managers, impracticable or inadvisable to market or deliver the Offered Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus; and the Managers shall have received, on the Closing Date, a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by either the chief executive officer or chief financial officer of the Company, to the foregoing effect. Such certificate will also provide that the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein are true and correct as of the Closing Date and that the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date. The officer making such certificate may rely upon the best of his knowledge as to proceedings threatened.

(c) The Managers shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Larry D. Irick, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of the Company (or another lawyer of the Company reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters), dated the Closing Date, addressed to the Managers to the effect (as applicable) that:

(i) each of the Company and Kansas Gas and Electric Company (the “Principal Subsidiary”) has been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Kansas and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification (except where the failure to so qualify would not have a material adverse effect upon the business or financial condition of the Company and its subsidiaries, as a whole);

(ii) all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Principal Subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable, and (except for directors’ qualifying shares and except as otherwise set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus) are owned directly and indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims (such counsel being entitled to rely in respect of the opinion in this clause upon opinions of local counsel and in respect of matters of fact upon certificates of officers of the Company or its subsidiaries, provided that such counsel shall state that he believes that both the Managers and he are justified in relying upon such opinions and certificates);

(iii) the Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable;

(iv) each of the indenture dated as of August 1, 1998 (the “Senior Indenture”) between the Company and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as successor to Bankers Trust Company, as trustee (the “Senior Debt Trustee”), the indenture to be dated as of a date indicated in a relevant prospectus supplement (the “Subordinated Indenture”) between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the “Subordinated Debt Trustee”), the Mortgage and Deed of Trust, dated July 1, 1939, between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as successor to Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as trustee (the “Mortgage Bond Trustee”), as amended and supplemented by [ ] indentures supplemental thereto (such Mortgage and Deed of Trust, as heretofore amended and supplemented, the “Mortgage”) and as to be amended and supplemented by the supplemental indenture, to be dated as of a date indicated in a relevant prospectus supplement (the “Supplemental Indenture”) (the Mortgage, as so amended and supplemented by such supplemental indentures, the “Amended Mortgage”), has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;

(v) assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by the other parties thereto, the Amended Mortgage constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability;

(vi) the Amended Mortgage has been duly recorded and filed in each place in which such recording or filing is required to protect and preserve the lien of the Amended Mortgage, and all taxes and recording or filing fees required to be paid in connection with the execution, recording or filing of the Amended Mortgage have been duly paid;

(vii) the Company has good and sufficient title to, or a satisfactory easement in, all the real property, and has good and sufficient title to all the personal property described in the Amended Mortgage as owned by it and subject to the lien of the Amended Mortgage, except any which may have been released from the lien thereof pursuant to the provisions thereof, subject only to (a) minor leases and liens of judgments not prior to the lien of the Amended Mortgage, which, in such counsel’s opinion, do not interfere with the Company’s business, (b) minor defects, irregularities and deficiencies in titles of properties and rights-of-way which, in such counsel’s opinion, do not materially impair the use of such property and rights of- way for the purposes for which they are held by the Company, and (c) other permitted liens as defined in the Amended

Mortgage; subject to the qualifications set forth in this Section 4(c)(vii), the Amended Mortgage constitutes a valid, direct first mortgage lien upon said properties and upon all franchises owned by the Company, which properties and franchises include all the physical properties and franchises of the Company (other than classes of property expressly excepted in the Amended Mortgage); all physical properties and franchises (other than classes of property expressly excepted in the Amended Mortgage as aforesaid) thereafter acquired by the Company will, upon such acquisition, become subject to the lien thereof, subject, however, to liens permitted thereby and to any liens existing or placed upon such properties at the time of the acquisition thereof by the Company and except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus; and the descriptions of all such properties and assets contained in the granting clauses of the Amended Mortgage are correct and adequate for the purposes of the Amended Mortgage;

(viii) the Warrant Agreement, if any, has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;

(ix) the Unit Agreement, if any, has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;

(x) the Offered Securities have been duly authorized, executed, and delivered by the Company;

(xi) when the Offered Securities have been duly executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the relevant Senior Indenture, Subordinated Indenture or Amended Mortgage, the Offered Securities will be valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against them in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability, and will be entitled to the benefits of the relevant Senior Indenture, Subordinated Indenture or Amended Mortgage and to the lien of the Amended Mortgage;

(xii) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;

(xiii) except as rights to indemnity and contribution under this Agreement may be limited under applicable law, the execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, the Senior Indenture, the Subordinated Indenture, the Amended Mortgage, the Offered Securities, the Warrant Agreement and the Unit Agreement will not contravene any provision of the laws of the State of Kansas or any federal law of the United States of America (including laws relating specifically to electric utility companies and the electric utility industry) that in such counsel’s experience is normally applicable to general business corporations in relation to transactions of the topic contemplated by this Agreement, or, to the best knowledge of such counsel, of any other state or jurisdiction of the United States, or the articles of incorporation or by-laws (or similar organizational document) of the Company or, to the best knowledge of such counsel, any material agreement or other material instrument binding upon the Company, the Senior Indenture, the Subordinated Indenture, the Amended Mortgage, the Offered Securities, the Warrant Agreement and the Unit Agreement, provided that such counsel need not express an opinion as to federal or state securities or Blue Sky laws, and no consent, approval or authorization of any governmental body or agency under the laws of the State of Kansas or any federal law of the United States of America (except with respect to consents, approvals and authorizations relating specifically to the public utility companies or the utilities industry, as to which such counsel is not called upon to express any opinion) that in such counsel’s experience is normally applicable to general business corporations in relation to transactions of the topic contemplated by this Agreement, or, to the best knowledge of such counsel, of any other state or jurisdiction of the United States of America or of any foreign jurisdiction is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, the Senior Indenture, the Subordinated Indenture, the Amended Mortgage, the Offered Securities, the Warrant Agreement, and the Unit Agreement provided that such counsel need not express an opinion as to federal or state securities or Blue Sky laws;

(xiv) each of the Company and the Principal Subsidiary possesses valid franchises, certificates of convenience and authority, licenses and permits authorizing it to carry on the electric utility business in which it is engaged, except in the cases that the failure to possess such franchises, certificates, licenses or permits, individually or in the aggregate, would not be reasonably expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and neither the Company nor the Principal Subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such franchise, certificate of convenience and authority, license or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus;

(xv) the statements (A) in Item 3 of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, (B) in Part II, Item 1 under the caption “Legal Proceedings” of the Company’s most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Prospectus and (C) in the Registration Statement in Item 15, insofar as such statements constitute a summary of the legal matters, documents or proceedings referred to therein, fairly present the information called for with respect to such legal matters, documents and proceedings;

(xvi) such counsel does not know of any legal or governmental proceeding pending or threatened (including, without limitation, proceeding pending before the State Corporation Commission of the State of Kansas (“KCC”) or Federal Regulatory Energy Commission (“FERC”)) to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject which is required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus and is not so described, or of any contract, other document, public utility law or regulation which is required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement which is not described or filed as required;

(xvii) the securities into which the Offered Securities are convertible, initially reserved for issuance upon conversion of the Offered Company Securities (the “Underlying Securities”), have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance;

(xiii) when the Underlying Securities are issued upon conversion of the Offered Company Securities in accordance with the terms of the Offered Company Securities, such Underlying Securities will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and will not be subject to any preemptive or other right to subscribe for or purchase such Underlying Securities;

(xix) the Company has complied with K.S.A. 9 66- 125 with respect to the issuance of the Offered Securities. No additional consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of (a) FERC under the Federal Power Act, (b) the KCC or (c) to the knowledge of the Company, any court or governmental agency or body is required in connection with the transactions contemplated herein, except such as have been obtained under the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Trust Indenture Act”) and such as may be required under the blue sky laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein and in the Time of Sale Prospectus; and

(xx) The statements in the prospectus supplement contained in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus under “Description of First Mortgage Bonds,” “Description of Senior Notes” or “Description of Subordinated Indebtedness” and in the Base Prospectus under the caption “Description of Debt Securities” as they relate to the Amended Mortgage, the Senior Debt Indenture, the Subordinated Debt Indenture and the Offered Securities, insofar as such statements constitute a summary of the legal matters or documents referred to therein, fairly present the information called for with respect to such legal matters and documents.

Such counsel shall also state that nothing has come to his attention that causes him to believe (1) that the Registration Statement or any amendments thereto, on the date on which it became effective or the date of filing of the most recent subsequent Annual Report on Form 10-K, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a

material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (2) that the Time of Sale Prospectus (except for the financial statements and other financial or statistical data derived therefrom that are included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom, as to which such counsel is not called upon to express any belief), at the Applicable Time or as amended or supplemented, if applicable, as of the Closing Date, contained or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; (3) that the Prospectus (except for the financial statements and other financial or statistical data derived therefrom that are included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom, as to which such counsel is not called upon to express any belief), at its date or as amended or supplemented, if applicable, at the Closing Date, contained or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or (4) that the documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus (except for the financial statements and other financial or statistical data derived therefrom that are included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom, as to which such counsel is not called upon to express any belief), as of the dates they were filed with the Commission, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

With respect to the preceding paragraph, such counsel may state that he has not been called upon to pass upon, and that he expresses no view regarding, the financial statements or financial schedules or statistical data derived therefrom or other accounting or financial data included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, or the Statement of Eligibility of the Trustee on Form T-1, and that his opinion and belief is based upon his participation in the preparation of the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Prospectus, Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) and the documents incorporated therein by reference and review and discussion of the contents thereof, but is without independent check or verification except as specified.

In expressing his opinion as to questions of the law of jurisdictions other than the State of Kansas and the United States, such counsel may rely to the extent reasonable on such counsel as may be reasonably acceptable to counsel to the Underwriters. In addition, such counsel may reasonably rely as to questions of fact on certificates of responsible officers of the Company.

(d) The Managers shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, special counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that:

(i) The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Offered Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus will not be, required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended;

(ii) assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by all parties thereto, the Senior Indenture or Subordinated Indenture, as applicable, is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability;

(iii) assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by all parties thereto, the Warrant Agreement, if any, is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability;

(iv) assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by all parties thereto, the Unit Agreement, if any, is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability;

(v) except as rights to indemnity and contribution under this Agreement may be limited under applicable law, the execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement, the Senior Indenture, the Subordinated Indenture, the Amended Mortgage, the Offered Securities, the Warrant Agreement and the Unit Agreement will not contravene any provision of the laws of the State of New York or any federal law of the United States of America (except with respect to laws relating specifically to public utility companies or the utilities industry, as to which

such counsel is not called upon to express any opinion) that in such counsel’s experience is normally applicable to general business corporations in relation to transactions of the type contemplated by this Agreement, the Senior Indenture, the Subordinated Indenture, the Amended Mortgage, the Offered Securities, the Warrant Agreement and the Unit Agreement, provided that such counsel need not express an opinion as to federal or state securities or Blue Sky laws,

(vi) no consent, approval, authorization, or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency under the laws of the State of New York or any federal law of the United States of America (except with respect to consents, approvals and authorizations relating specifically to public utility companies or the utilities industry, as to which such counsel is not called upon to express any opinion) that in such counsel’s experience is normally applicable to general business corporations in relation to transactions of the type contemplated by this Agreement, the Senior Indenture, the Subordinated Indenture, the Amended Mortgage, the Offered Securities, the Warrant Agreement and the Unit Agreement is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, the Senior Indenture, the Subordinated Indenture, the Amended Mortgage, the Offered Securities, the Warrant Agreement and the Unit Agreement, except such as may be required under federal or state securities or Blue Sky laws as to which such counsel need not express any opinion; and

Such counsel shall state that it has considered the statements included in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus under the caption “Underwriting” and in the Base Prospectus under the caption “Plan of Distribution” insofar as they summarize provisions of this Agreement, the Senior Indenture, the Subordinated Indenture and the Offered Securities. In such counsel’s opinion, such statements fairly summarize these provisions in all material respects. The statements included in the Prospectus under the caption “Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations,” insofar as they purport to describe provisions of U.S. federal income tax laws or legal conclusions with respect thereto, fairly and accurately summarize the matters referred to therein in all material respects.

In addition, such counsel shall confirm that it has examined evidence that the Senior Indenture, Subordinated Indenture and Amended Mortgage (as applicable) qualified under the Trust Indenture Act. Such counsel shall also state (i) that the Registration Statement and the Prospectus appear on their face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and (ii) that nothing has come to the attention of such counsel that causes them to believe that, insofar as relevant to the offering of the Offered Securities, (A) on the date of this Agreement, the Registration Statement contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (B) at the Applicable Time, the Time of Sale Prospectus contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or (C) the Prospectus as of its date or as amended or supplemented, if applicable, at the Closing Date, contained or contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

With respect to the preceding paragraph, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP may state that the primary purpose of its professional engagement is not to establish or confirm factual matters or financial, accounting or quantitative information and that they are not passing upon, and do not assume any responsibility for, the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, or the Statement of Eligibility of the Trustee on Form T-1, and they have not themselves checked the accuracy, completeness or fairness of, or otherwise verified, the information furnished in such documents (except to the extent expressly set forth in their opinion letter), and that their opinion and belief is based upon their participation in the preparation of the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Prospectus and Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto (but not including documents incorporated therein by reference) and review and discussion of the contents thereof (including documents incorporated therein by reference), but is without independent check or verification except as specified. Such counsel shall not be required to express a view as to the conveyance of the Time of Sale Prospectus or the information contained therein to investors.

(e) The Managers shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Hunton & Williams LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date, covering the matters requested by and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Managers.

(f) The Managers shall have received at the Applicable Time a letter dated such date and on the Closing Date a letter dated such date, in each case in form and substance satisfactory to the Managers, from Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent public accountants, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial

statements and certain financial information reviewed by them contained in or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and each other firm of independent accountants, if any, who audited or reviewed financial statements contained in or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to such financial statements and financial information.

(g) The Managers shall have received on the date hereof or on the Closing Date, as applicable, such additional documents as the Managers shall have reasonably requested to confirm compliance with the conditions to Closing listed herein.

5. Covenants of the Company. In further consideration of the agreements of the Underwriters herein contained, the Company covenants as follows:

(a) To furnish to the Managers, without charge, a copy of the Registration Statement and two signed copies of any post-effective amendment thereto specifically relating to the Offered Securities (including exhibits thereto and documents incorporated therein by reference) and, during the period mentioned in paragraph (f) below, as many copies of the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any documents incorporated therein by reference and any supplements and amendments thereto as the Managers may reasonably request.

(b) Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, to furnish the Managers with a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement, and not to make such amendment or supplement that the Managers shall have reasonably objected to in writing.

(c) Before filing, using or referring to any free writing prospectus relating to the Offered Securities, to furnish the Managers a copy of each such free writing prospectus, and not to file, use or refer to any such free writing prospectus that the Managers shall have reasonably objected to in writing.

(d) Not to take any action that would result in an Underwriter being required to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of the Underwriter that the Underwriter otherwise would not have been required to file thereunder.

(e) If the Time of Sale Prospectus is being used to solicit offers to buy the Offered Securities at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at the time, not misleading, or if any event shall occur as a result of which any free writing prospectus included as part of the Time of Sale Prospectus conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement then on file, the Company shall forthwith (1) promptly notify the Managers of such event in writing and (2) prepare and furnish, at its expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses the Managers will furnish to the Company), either amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the statements in the Time of Sale Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing at the time, be misleading or so that any free writing prospectus which is included as part of the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will no longer conflict with the Registration Statement.

(f) If, during such period after the first date of the public offering of the Offered Securities during which in the opinion of counsel to the Managers the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Securities Act) is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at the time, not misleading, the Company shall (1) notify the Managers of such event and (2) forthwith prepare and furnish, at its expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses the Managers will furnish to the Company) to which Offered Securities may have been sold by the Managers on behalf of the Underwriters and to any other dealers on request, either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing at the time, be misleading.

(g) To endeavor to qualify the Offered Securities for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such U.S. jurisdictions as the Managers shall reasonably request.

(h) To make generally available to the Company’s security holders as soon as practicable an earnings statement covering the twelve month period beginning on the first day of the first fiscal quarter commencing after the date hereof, which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11 (a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (which may be accomplished by making generally available the Company’s financial statements in the manner provided for by Rule 158 of the Securities Act).

(i) The Company will not, without the prior consent of the Managers, offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of any debt securities, (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise)), directly or indirectly, including the filing (or participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the Commission in respect of, any debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company (other than the Securities) or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction, between the date of the Underwriting Agreement and the Closing Date.

6. Covenants of the Underwriters. In further consideration of the agreements of the Company herein contained, each Underwriter severally covenants as follows:

(a) Subject to Section 6(b), not to take any action that would result in the Company being required to file with the Commission under Rule 433(d) a free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter that otherwise would not be required to be filed by the Company thereunder, but for the action of the Underwriter.

(i) a free writing prospectus that (a) is not an issuer free writing prospectus and (b) contains only information describing the preliminary terms of the Offered Securities or the offering thereof, which information is limited to the categories of terms referenced on Schedule II to the Underwriting Agreement or otherwise permitted under Rule 134 of the Securities Act;

(ii) a free writing prospectus as shall be agreed in writing with the Company that is not distributed, used or referred to by such Underwriter in a manner reasonably designed to lead to its broad unrestricted dissemination (unless the Company consents in writing to such dissemination); or

(iii) a free writing prospectus identified in Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement as forming part of the Time of Sale Prospectus (including any customary distribution through the Bloomberg system consisting of the information contained in such free writing prospectus).

7. Indemnification and Contribution. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees and agents of each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls each Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities arising out of, based upon or caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus (as amended or supplemented), any issuer free writing prospectus that the Company has filed or is required to file under Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented), arising out of, based upon or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, are based upon or are caused by any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon information furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Managers expressly for use therein.

Each Underwriter severally and not jointly agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors and officers who have signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to such Underwriter, but only with reference to information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Managers expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any issuer free writing prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto.

In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to either of the two preceding paragraphs, such person (hereinafter called the “indemnified party”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (hereinafter called the “indemnifying party”) in writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and disbursements of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel, (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and, upon advice of counsel the indemnified party concludes that counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to represent the indemnified party would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between the indemnifying party and indemnified party or (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of the institution of such action. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees and disbursements of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all such indemnified parties and that all such fees and disbursements shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. In the case of any such separate firm for the Underwriters and such control persons of the Underwriters, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Managers. In the case of any such separate firm for the Company and such directors, officers and controlling persons of the Company, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Company. The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify, to the extent provided in the two immediately preceding paragraphs, the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

If the indemnification provided for in the first or second paragraph of this Section 7 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities for which indemnification is provided herein, then the indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Offered Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and the Underwriters shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the aggregate offering price of Offered Securities bears to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in respect thereof, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault of the Company and the Underwriters shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or by the Underwriters on the other and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

Registration Statement and each director of the Company shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the applicable terms and conditions of this paragraph and the preceding paragraph. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, the Underwriters shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Offered Securities underwritten by them and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which the Underwriters have otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

The indemnity and contribution agreement contained in this Section 7 and the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Underwriters, any of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents or any person controlling the Underwriters or by or on behalf of the Company, their respective officers or directors or any other person controlling the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Offered Securities.

8. Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the Managers by notice given by the Managers to the Company, if (a) after the Applicable Time and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on or by, as the case may be, the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, or the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., (ii) trading of any securities of the Company shall have been suspended on the New York Stock Exchange, (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities in New York shall have been declared by either Federal or New York State authorities, or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis that, in the judgment of the Managers, is material and adverse and (b) in the case of any of the events specified in clauses (a)(i) through (iv), such event, singly or together with any other such event, makes it, in the judgment of the Managers, impracticable or inadvisable to market or deliver the Offered Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto) and this Agreement.

The Company will pay and bear all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (a) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits), as originally filed and as amended, the preliminary prospectuses, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any free writing prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, and the cost of furnishing copies thereto to the Underwriters, (b) the preparation, printing and distribution of this Agreement, the Senior Indenture, the Subordinated Indenture, the Warrant Agreement, the Unit Agreement, and the Blue Sky Memorandum, (c) the delivery of the Offered Securities to the Underwriters, (d) the reasonable fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel and accountants, (e) the qualification of the Offered Securities under the applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws in accordance with Section 5, including filing fees and reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with any Blue Sky survey and any legal investment survey, (f) all fees payable to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. in connection with the review, if any, of the offering of the Securities, (g) any fees charged by rating agencies for rating the Offered Securities and (h) the fees and expenses of the Trustee, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Trustee, in connection with the Senior Indenture, the Subordinated Indenture and the Offered Securities. Except as specifically provided elsewhere herein, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including without limitation the fees and expenses of their counsel and the expenses of selling presentations.

If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason the Company shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters for all out of-pocket expenses (including the fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder. This provision shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.

9. Defaulting Underwriters. If on the Closing Date any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Offered Securities that it has or they have agreed to purchase on such date and such failure to purchase shall constitute a default in the performance of its obligations hereunder, and the aggregate amount of Offered Securities which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate amount of the Offered Securities to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions that the amount of Offered Securities set forth opposite their respective names bears to the aggregate amount of Offered Securities set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as the Managers may specify, to purchase the Offered Securities which such defaulting Underwriter or

Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the amount of Offered Securities that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be increased pursuant to this Section 9 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such amount of Offered Securities without the written consent of such Underwriter. If on the Closing Date any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Offered Securities and the aggregate amount of Offered Securities with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate amount of Offered Securities to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to the Managers and the Company for the purchase of such Offered Securities are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company. In any such case either the Managers or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement and in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

10. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.

11. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York.

12. Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement.

13. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers, directors, employees, agents and controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.

14. Waiver of Jury Trial. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives its rights to a jury trial of any claim or cause of action based upon or arising out of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereunder.

We (the “Managers”) are acting on behalf of the underwriter or underwriters (including ourselves) named below (such underwriter or underwriters being herein called the “Underwriters”), and we understand that Westar Energy, Inc., a Kansas corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell the number of shares of its securities identified as Firm Securities herein (the “Firm Securities”). The Company also proposes to issue and sell not more than the number of shares of its securities, if any, identified as Additional Securities herein (the “Additional Securities”), if and to the extent that we, as Managers of this offering, shall have determined to exercise, on behalf of the Underwriters, the right to purchase such Additional Securities granted to the Underwriters herein. The Firm Securities and the Additional Securities are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Offered Securities.”

Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties, terms and conditions set forth or incorporated by reference herein, the Company hereby agrees to sell and each of the Underwriters agrees to purchase from the Company, severally and not jointly, the aggregate principal amount of the Firm Securities set forth below opposite their names at a purchase price of $[ ], per Firm Security (the “Purchase Price”).

Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties, terms and conditions set forth or incorporated by reference herein, the Company hereby agrees to sell to the Underwriters the Additional Securities, and the Underwriters shall have a one-time right to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to the number of Additional Securities set forth below at the Purchase Price [plus accrued dividends, if any, from [ ] to the date of payment and delivery]. Additional Securities may be purchased as provided herein solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments made in connection with the offering of the Firm Securities. If any Additional Securities are to be purchased, each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Additional Securities (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional Offered Securities as you may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Additional Securities to be purchased as the amount of Firm Securities set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter above bears to the total amount of Firm Securities.

For purposes of the Underwriting Agreement, Applicable Time means [ ] (New York time) on the date hereof.

The Underwriters will pay for the Firm Securities upon delivery thereof at the offices of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, 1600 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, California at 10:00 a.m. (New York time) on [ ], or at such other time, not later than 1:00 p.m. (New York time) on [ ] as shall be designated in writing by the Underwriters and the Company. The time and date of such payment and delivery are hereinafter referred to as the “Closing Date.”

Payment for any Additional Securities shall be made at the offices referred to above at 10:00 a.m. (New York time), on such date (which may be the same as the Closing Date but shall in no event be earlier than the Closing Date nor later than ten business days after the giving of the notice hereinafter referred to) as shall be designated in a written notice from us to the Company of our determination, on behalf of the Underwriters, to purchase an amount, specified in said notice, of Additional Securities, as shall be designated in writing by us. The time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as the “Option Closing Date.” The notice of the determination to exercise the option to purchase Additional Securities and of the Option Closing Date may be given at any time within 30 days after the date of the Underwriting Agreement.

The Offered Securities shall have the terms set forth in the Prospectus dated [ ], 2010 and the Prospectus Supplement dated [ ], including the following:

[If depositary shares are offered, list beneficial ownership of preferred stock that each depositary share represents and list Deposit Agreement.]

Capitalized terms used above and not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement referred to above.

The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to the offering of Offered Securities contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company or any other person and will not claim that the Underwriters are acting in such capacity in connection with the offering of the Offered Securities contemplated hereby. Additionally, none of the Underwriters is advising the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction with respect to the offering of Offered Securities contemplated hereby. The Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making their own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto. Any review by the Underwriters of the Company, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Company.

Except as set forth below, all provisions contained in the document entitled Westar Energy, Inc. Underwriting Agreement Standard Provisions (Preferred Stock, Preference Stock, Depositary Shares, Common Stock) dated [ ] (the “Standard Provisions”), a copy of which is attached hereto, are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety and shall be deemed to be a part of this Agreement to the same extent as if such provisions had been set forth in full herein, except that (i) if any term defined in such document is otherwise defined herein, the definition set forth herein shall control, (ii) all references in such document to a type of security that is not an Offered Security shall not be deemed to be a part of this Agreement and (iii) all references in such document to a type of agreement that has not been entered into in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby shall not be deemed to be a part of this Agreement.

Please confirm your agreement by having an authorized officer sign a copy of this Agreement in the space set forth below.

1. Base Prospectus dated [ ] relating to the Offered Securities and included in the Registration Statement (File No. [ ]).

2. The preliminary prospectus supplement dated [ ] relating to the Offered Securities.

3. Final term sheet containing the final terms of the Offered Securities as set forth in Schedule II hereto (if any) and filed with the Commission under Rule 433.

From time to time, Westar Energy, Inc., a Kansas corporation (the “Company”), may enter into one or more underwriting agreements that provide for the sale of designated securities to the several underwriters named therein. The standard provisions set forth herein may be incorporated by reference in any such underwriting agreement (an “Underwriting Agreement”). The Underwriting Agreement, including the provisions incorporated therein by reference, is herein referred to as this Agreement. Terms defined in the Underwriting Agreement are used herein as therein defined.

The Company proposes to issue from time to time (a) its preferred stock, without par value (the “Preferred Stock”), (b) preference stock, without par value (“Preference Stock”), (c) depositary shares representing its Preferred Stock or Preference Stock (the “Depositary Shares”) and (d) its common stock, $5.00 par value (the “Common Stock”).

The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement including a prospectus relating to the Preferred Stock, Preference Stock, Depositary Shares, Common Stock (collectively, the “Securities”) and has filed with, or transmitted for filing to, or shall promptly after the date of the Underwriting Agreement file with or transmit for filing to, the Commission a prospectus supplement (the “Prospectus Supplement”) pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), specifically relating to the Securities offered pursuant to this Agreement (the “Offered Securities”). The term “Registration Statement” means the registration statement as amended to the date of the Underwriting Agreement including any additional registration statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b). The term “Base Prospectus” means the prospectus included in the Registration Statement. The term “Prospectus” means the Base Prospectus together with the Prospectus Supplement. The term “preliminary prospectus” means a preliminary prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Offered Securities, together with the Base Prospectus. The term “free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act. The term “issuer free writing prospectus” has the meaning set forth in Rule 433 under the Securities Act. The term “Time of Sale Prospectus” means the Base Prospectus and preliminary prospectus, if any, together with any additional documents or other information identified in Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement relating to the Offered Securities. As used herein, the terms “Base Prospectus,” “Prospectus”, “preliminary prospectus” and “Time of Sale Prospectus” shall include in each case the documents, if any, incorporated by reference therein. As used herein, the term “Applicable Time” means the time and date set forth in the Underwriting Agreement or such other time as agreed in writing by the Company and the Managers. The terms “supplement,” “amendment” and “amend” as used herein shall include all documents deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus that are filed subsequent to the date of the Base Prospectus by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).

The Company hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Managers, it will not offer, sell, contract to sell or grant any option to purchase, pledge or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by the Company), directly or indirectly, including the filing (or participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the Commission in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, any shares of the Lock-Up Securities, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for Lock-Up Securities, or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction, for the Lock-Up Period, other than (i) the Offered Securities to be sold hereunder, (ii) any Lock-Up Securities sold upon the exercise of an option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof or (iii) any Lock-Up Securities issued pursuant to any stock option or similar employee compensation plan in effect on the date hereof.

1. Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to each of the Underwriters as of the date of the Underwriting Agreement that:

(i) The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act and has become effective; the Company has not received any notice

from the Commission objecting to the use of the automatic shelf registration form; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Company is a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act and otherwise meets the requirements for the use of the Registration Statement form.

(iii) Each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission. (A) Each part of the Registration Statement, when such part became effective, did not contain, and each such part, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (B) the Time of Sale Prospectus as of the Applicable Time did not contain or as amended or supplemented, if applicable, as of the Closing Date, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and (C) the Prospectus as of its date does not contain, or as amended or supplemented, if applicable, as of the Closing Date will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The foregoing representations and warranties in this Section 1(iii) do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto based upon information furnished to the Company in writing by any Underwriter through the Managers expressly for use therein.

(iv) The Company has been duly incorporated, and is validly existing, as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Kansas.

(vi) The Company has an authorized and outstanding capitalization as set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable.

(viii) The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement will not contravene any provision of applicable law or the articles of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is material to the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its consolidated subsidiaries, and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement except such as may be required by the securities or blue sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Offered Securities.

(xiii) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (a) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (b) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (c) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (d) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

(xiv) The Company and its subsidiaries maintain “disclosure controls and procedures” (as such term is defined in Rule
13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act); such disclosure controls and procedures are effective.

(xvii) The holders of outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are not entitled to preemptive or other rights to subscribe for the Securities; and, except as set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus and Prospectus, no options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue, or rights to convert any obligations into or exchange any securities for, shares of capital stock of or ownership interests in the Company are outstanding.

(xviii) The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with the applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(xix) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently subject to any sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

4. Conditions to Closing. Unless waived by the Managers, the several obligations of the Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company contained herein as of the date of the Underwriting Agreement and the Closing Date (as if made on the Closing Date), the performance by the Company of all of the obligations to be performed by it under this Agreement on or prior to the Closing Date and the satisfaction of the following conditions:

(a) Subsequent to the Applicable Time and prior to the Closing Date, there shall not have occurred any downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of any intended or potential downgrading or of any review for a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating accorded the Company or any of the securities of the Company by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term as defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act.

agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date. The officer making such certificate may rely upon the best of his knowledge as to proceedings threatened.

(ii) the Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable;

(iii) all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Principal Subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable, and (except for directors’ qualifying shares and except as otherwise set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus) are owned directly and indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities and claims (such counsel being entitled to rely in respect of the opinion in this clause upon opinions of local counsel and in respect of matters of fact upon certificates of officers of the Company or its subsidiaries, provided that such counsel shall state that he believes that both the Managers and he are justified in relying upon such opinions and certificates);

(iv) the Offered Securities have been duly authorized by the Company, and when executed and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable;

(v) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;

(vi) except as rights to indemnity and contribution under this Agreement may be limited under applicable law, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company and the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities by the Company will not contravene any provision of applicable law of the United States (including laws relating specifically to electric utility companies and the electric utility industry), Kansas, or, to the best knowledge of such counsel, of any other state or jurisdiction of the United States, or the articles of incorporation or by-laws (or similar organizational document) of the Company or, to the best knowledge of such counsel, any material agreement or other material instrument binding upon the Company, and, except for the orders of the Commission making the Registration Statement effective (which have been obtained) and such permits or similar authorizations required under the securities or Blue Sky laws of certain states or foreign jurisdictions (as to which such counsel is not called upon to express any opinion), no consent, approval or authorization of any governmental body or agency of the United States (except with respect to consents, approvals and authorizations relating specifically to the public utility companies or the utilities industry, as to which such counsel is not called upon to express any opinion), Kansas, or, to the best knowledge of such counsel, of any other state or jurisdiction of the United States or of any foreign jurisdiction is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement or the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities by the Company;

(vii) each of the Company and the Principal Subsidiary possesses valid franchises, certificates of convenience and authority, licenses and permits authorizing it to carry on the electric utility business in which it is engaged, except in the cases that the failure to possess such

franchises, certificates, licenses or permits, individually or in the aggregate, would not be reasonably expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and neither the Company nor the Principal Subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such franchise, certificate of convenience and authority, license or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus;

(viii) the statements (A) in Item 3 of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, (B) in Part II, Item 1 under the caption “Legal Proceedings” of the Company’s most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Prospectus and (C) in the Registration Statement in Item 15, insofar as such statements constitute a summary of the legal matters, documents or proceedings referred to therein, fairly present the information called for with respect to such legal matters, documents and proceedings;

(ix) such counsel does not know of any legal or governmental proceeding pending or threatened (including, without limitation, proceeding pending before the State Corporation Commission of the State of Kansas (“KCC”) or Federal Regulatory Energy Commission (“FERC”)) to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject which is required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus and is not so described, or of any contract, other document, public utility law or regulation which is required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement which is not described or filed as required;

(x) the Company has complied with K.S.A. § 66-125 with respect to the issuance of the Securities. No additional consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of (a) FERC under the Federal Power Act, (b) the KCC or (c) to the knowledge of the Company, any court or governmental agency or body is required in connection with the transactions contemplated herein, except such as have been obtained under the Securities Act and such as may be required under the blue sky laws of any jurisdiction in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated herein and in the Time of Sale Prospectus; and

(xi) the statements in the prospectus supplement contained in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus under “The Offering,” and in the Base Prospectus under “Description of Capital Stock” and “Description of Depositary Shares,” insofar as such statements constitute a summary of the legal matters or documents referred to therein, fairly present the information called for with respect to such legal matters and documents.

Such counsel shall also state that nothing has come to his attention that causes him to believe (1) that the Registration Statement or any amendments thereto (except for the financial statements and other financial or statistical data derived therefrom that are included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom, as to which such counsel is not called upon to express any belief), on the date on which it became effective or the date of filing of the most recent subsequent Annual Report on Form 10-K, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (2) that the Time of Sale Prospectus (except for the financial statements and other financial or statistical data derived therefrom that are included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom, as to which such counsel is not called upon to express any belief), at the Applicable Time or as amended or supplemented, if applicable, as of the Closing Date, contained or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; (3) that the Prospectus (except for the financial statements and other financial or statistical data derived therefrom that are included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom, as to which such counsel is not called upon to express any belief), at its date or as amended or supplemented, if applicable, at the Closing Date, contained or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or (4) that the documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus (except for the

financial statements and other financial or statistical data derived therefrom that are included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom, as to which such counsel is not called upon to express any belief), as of the dates they were filed with the Commission, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

With respect to the preceding paragraph, such counsel may state that he has not been called upon to pass upon, and that he expresses no view regarding, the financial statements or financial schedules or statistical data derived therefrom or other accounting or financial data included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, and that his opinion and belief is based upon his participation in the preparation of the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Prospectus, Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) and the documents incorporated therein by reference and review and discussion of the contents thereof, but is without independent check or verification except as specified.

(d) The Managers shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, special counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that:

(i) the Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Offered Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus will not be, required to register as an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended;

(ii) except as rights to indemnity and contribution under this Agreement may be limited under applicable law, the execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement will not contravene any provision of the laws of the state of New York or any federal law of the United States of America (except with respect to laws relating specifically to public utility companies or the utilities industry, as to which such counsel is not called upon to express any opinion) that in such counsel’s experience is normally applicable to general business corporations in relation to transactions of the type contemplated by this Agreement, provided that such counsel need not express an opinion as to federal or state securities laws or blue sky laws;

(iii) no consent, approval, authorization, or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency under the laws of the State of New York or any federal law of the United States of America (except with respect to laws relating specifically to public utility companies or the utilities industry, as to which such counsel is not called upon to express any opinion) that in such counsel’s experience is normally applicable to general business corporations in relation to transactions of the type contemplated by this Agreement is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, except (a) such as may be required under federal or state securities or blue sky laws;

Such counsel has considered the statements included in the Prospectus Supplement under the caption “Underwriting” insofar as they summarize provisions of this Agreement, and in such counsel’s opinion, such statements fairly summarize these provisions in all material respects; and such counsel has considered the statements in the Time of Sale Prospectus in the Base Prospectus under the caption “Plan of Distribution,” insofar as such statements constitute a summary of the legal matters or documents referred to therein, and in such counsel’s opinion, such statements fairly present the information called for with respect to such legal matters and documents.

Such counsel shall also state that (1) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus appear on their face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; (2) nothing has come to the attention of such counsel that causes them to believe that, insofar as relevant to the offering of the Offered Securities: (a) on the date of this Agreement, the Registration Statement contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact

required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (b) at the Applicable Time, the Time of Sale Prospectus contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or (c) the Prospectus as of its date or as amended or supplemented, if applicable, at the Closing Date, contained or contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

With respect to the preceding paragraph, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP may state that the primary purpose of its professional engagement is not to establish or confirm factual matters or financial, accounting or quantitative information and that they are not passing upon, and do not assume any responsibility for, the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, and they have not themselves checked the accuracy, completeness or fairness of, or otherwise verified, the information furnished in such documents (except to the extent expressly set forth in their opinion letter), and that their opinion and belief is based upon their participation in the preparation of the Registration Statement, Time of Sale Prospectus and Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto (but not including documents incorporated therein by reference) and review and discussion of the contents thereof (including documents incorporated therein by reference), but is without independent check or verification except as specified. Such counsel shall not be required to express a view as to the conveyance of the Time of Sale Prospectus or the information contained therein to investors.

(f) The Managers shall have received at the Applicable Time a letter dated such date and on the Closing Date a letter dated such date, in each case, in form and substance satisfactory to the Managers, from Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent public accountants, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information reviewed by them contained in or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and each other firm of independent accountants, if any, who audited or reviewed financial statements contained in or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to such financial statements and financial information.

(h) If the Offered Securities are shares of Common Stock, the Securities shall have been listed and admitted and authorized for trading on the New York Stock Exchange subject to official notice of issuance.

The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase Additional Securities hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company contained herein as of the date of the Underwriting Agreement and the Option Closing Date (as if made on the Option Closing Date), the performance by the Company of all of the obligations to be performed by it under this Agreement prior to the Option Closing Date and delivery to the Managers on the Option Closing Date of supplemented opinions, certificates and documents confirming as of such date the opinions, certificates and documents delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to in this Section 4.

5. Covenants of the Company. In further consideration of the agreements of the Underwriters herein contained, the Company covenants as follows:

(a) To furnish to the Managers, without charge, a copy of the Registration Statement and two signed copies of any post-effective amendment thereto specifically relating to the Offered Securities (including exhibits thereto and documents incorporated therein by reference) and, during the period mentioned in paragraph (c) below, as many copies of the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, any documents incorporated therein by reference and any supplements and amendments thereto as the Managers may reasonably request.

(e) If the Time of Sale Prospectus is being used to solicit offers to buy the Offered Securities at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at the time, not misleading, or if any event shall occur as a result of which any free writing prospectus included as part of the Time of Sale Prospectus conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement then on file, the Company shall forthwith (1) notify the Managers of such event and (2) prepare and furnish, at its expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses the Managers will furnish to the Company), either amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the statements in the Time of Sale Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing at the time, be misleading or so that any free writing prospectus which is included as part of the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will no longer conflict with the Registration Statement.

(f) If, during such period after the first date of the public offering of the Offered Securities during which in the opinion of counsel to the Managers the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Securities Act) is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at the time, not misleading, the Company shall (1) promptly notify the Managers of such event in writing and (2) forthwith prepare and furnish, at its expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses the Managers will furnish to the Company) to which Offered Securities may have been sold by the Managers on behalf of the Underwriters and to any other dealers on request, either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing at the time, be misleading.

(g) To endeavor to qualify the Offered Securities for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such U.S. jurisdictions as the Managers shall reasonably request.

(h) To make generally available to the Company’s security holders as soon as practicable an earnings statement covering the twelve month period beginning on the first day of the first fiscal quarter commencing after the date hereof, which shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (which may be accomplished by making generally available the Company’s financial statements in the manner provided for by Rule 158 of the Securities Act).

6. Covenants of the Underwriters. In further consideration of the agreements of the Company herein contained, each Underwriter severally covenants as follows:

(i) a free writing prospectus that (a) is not an issuer free writing prospectus and (b) contains only information describing the preliminary terms of the Offered Securities or the

offering thereof, which information is limited to the categories of terms referenced on Schedule II to the Underwriting Agreement relating to the Offered Securities or otherwise permitted under Rule 134 of the Securities Act;

(iii) a free writing prospectus identified in Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement relating to the Offered Securities as forming part of the Time of Sale Prospectus (including any customary distribution through the Bloomberg system consisting of the information contained in such free writing prospectus).

7. Indemnification and Contribution. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees and agents of each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls each Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities arising out of, based upon or caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus (as amended or supplemented), any issuer free writing prospectus that the Company has filed or are required to file under Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented), arising out of, based upon or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, are based upon or are caused by any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon information furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Managers expressly for use therein.

In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to either of the two preceding paragraphs, such person (hereinafter called the “indemnified party”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (hereinafter called the “indemnifying party”) in writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and disbursements of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel, (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and, upon advice of counsel the indemnified party concludes that counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to represent the indemnified party would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between the indemnifying party and indemnified party or (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of the institution of such action. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees and disbursements of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all such indemnified parties and that all such fees and disbursements shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. In the case of any such separate firm for the Underwriters and such control persons of the Underwriters, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Managers. In the case of any such separate firm for the Company and such directors, officers and controlling persons of the Company, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Company. The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify, to the extent provided in the two immediately preceding paragraphs, the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought

hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. For purposes of this Section 7, each person who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of either the Securities Act or the Exchange Act and each director, officer, employee and agent of an Underwriter shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, each officer of the Company who shall have signed the Registration Statement and each director of the Company shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the applicable terms and conditions of this paragraph and the preceding paragraph. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, the Underwriters shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Offered Securities underwritten by them and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which the Underwriters have otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

8. Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the Managers by notice given by the Managers to the Company, if (a) after the Applicable Time and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on or by, as the case may be, the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, or the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., (ii) trading of any securities of the Company shall have been suspended on the New York Stock Exchange, (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities in New York shall have been declared by either Federal or New York State authorities, or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis that, in the judgment of the Managers, is material and adverse and (b) in the case of any of the events specified in clause (a)(i) through (iv), such event, singly or together with any other events, makes it, in the judgment of the Managers, impracticable or inadvisable to market or deliver the Offered Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto) and this Agreement.

The Company will pay and bear all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (a) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits), as originally filed and as amended, the preliminary prospectuses, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any free writing prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, and the cost of furnishing copies thereto to the Underwriters, (b) the preparation, printing and distribution of this Agreement and the Blue Sky Memorandum, (c) the delivery of the Offered Securities to the Underwriters, (d) the reasonable fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel and accountants, (e) the qualification of the Offered Securities under the applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws in accordance with Section 5, including filing fees and reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with any Blue Sky survey and any legal investment survey, and (f) all fees payable to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. in connection with the review, if any, of the offering of the Securities. Except as specifically provided elsewhere herein, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including without limitation the fees and expenses of their counsel and the expenses of selling presentations.

If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason the Company shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder. This provision shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.

9. Defaulting Underwriters. If on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Offered Securities that it has or they have agreed to purchase on such date and such failure to purchase shall constitute a default in the performance of its obligations hereunder, and the aggregate amount of Offered Securities which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate amount of the Offered Securities to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in the proportions that the amount of Offered Securities set forth opposite their respective names bears to the aggregate amount of Offered Securities set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as the Managers may specify, to purchase the Offered Securities which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the amount of Offered Securities that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be increased pursuant to this Section 9 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such amount of Offered Securities without the written consent of such Underwriter. If on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Offered Securities and the aggregate amount of Offered Securities with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate amount of Offered Securities to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to the Managers and the Company for the purchase of such Offered Securities are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company. In any such case either the Managers or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement and in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

11. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York.

12. Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement.

I am Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Westar Energy, Inc., a Kansas corporation (the “Company”), and have acted for the Company in connection with the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”) filed on the date hereof with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, for the registration of the sale from time to time of the Company’s (i) senior debt securities and subordinated debt securities (together, the “Debt Securities”), (ii) first mortgage bonds (“First Mortgage Bonds”), (iii) shares of preferred stock, without par value (the “Preferred Stock”), (iv) shares of preference stock, par value to vary depending on the series (“Preference Stock”), (v) shares of Common Stock, $5.00 par value (the “Common Stock”), (vi) warrants to purchase Debt Securities, First Mortgage Bonds, Preferred Stock, Preference Stock, Common Stock or other securities or rights (the “Warrants”), (vii) purchase contracts (the “Purchase Contracts”) requiring the holders thereof to purchase or sell (A) the Company’s securities or securities of an entity unaffiliated or affiliated with the Company, a basket of such securities, an index or indices of such securities or any combination of the above, (B) currencies or composite currencies or (C) commodities and (viii) units (the “Units”) consisting of Debt Securities, First Mortgage Bonds, Warrants, Purchase Contracts, Preferred Stock, Preference Stock, Common Stock or any combination of the foregoing. The Debt Securities, First Mortgage Bonds, Preferred Stock, Preference Stock, Common Stock, Warrants, Purchase Contracts and Units are herein collectively referred to as the “Securities”. The Debt Securities, Preferred

Stock and Preference Stock may be convertible and/or exchangeable for Securities or other securities or rights. The senior Debt Securities are to be issued pursuant to an Indenture dated August 1, 1998 (the “Senior Indenture”), between the Company and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as Trustee, substantially in the form incorporated as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. The subordinated Debt Securities are to be issued pursuant to an Indenture (the “Subordinated Indenture”) to be entered into between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee, substantially in the form incorporated as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. The First Mortgage Bonds are to be issued under and secured by the Mortgage and Deed of Trust, dated July 1, 1939, between us and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as successor to BNY Midwest Trust Company, as successor to Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as trustee, as supplemented and amended by supplemental indentures (the “Mortgage”). The Senior Indenture and the Subordinated Indenture are hereinafter referred to individually as an “Indenture” and collectively as the “Indentures”. The Company may offer Depositary Shares (the “Depositary Shares”) representing interests in Preferred Stock or Preference Stock deposited with a Depositary and evidenced by Depositary Receipts, and such Depositary Shares are also covered by the Registration Statement.

I have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to my satisfaction, of such documents, corporate records, certificates of public officials and other instruments as I have deemed necessary or advisable for the purpose of rendering this opinion.

1. Upon designation of the preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions, of any series of Preferred Stock by the Board of Directors of the Company and proper filing with the Secretary of State of the State of Kansas of a Certificate of Designations relating to such series of Preferred Stock, all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company will have been taken to authorize the issuance and sale of such series of Preferred Stock proposed to be sold by the Company, and when such shares of Preferred Stock are issued and delivered against payment therefor in accordance with the applicable underwriting or other agreement or upon conversion in accordance with the terms of any other Security that has been duly authorized, issued, paid for and delivered, such shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

2. Upon designation of the preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions, of any series of Preference Stock by the Board of Directors of the Company and

proper filing with the Secretary of State of the State of Kansas of a Certificate of Designations relating to such series of Preference Stock, all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company will have been taken to authorize the issuance and sale of such series of Preference Stock proposed to be sold by the Company, and when such shares of Preference Stock are issued and delivered against payment therefor in accordance with the applicable underwriting or other agreement or upon conversion in accordance with the terms of any other Security that has been duly authorized, issued, paid for and delivered, such shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

3. When the specific terms of any offering or offerings of Common Stock have been duly established by the Board of Directors of the Company and in accordance with provisions of any applicable underwriting agreement so as not to violate any applicable law or agreement or instrument then binding on the Company, and shares of the Common Stock have been issued and sold against payment therefor in accordance with the applicable underwriting or other agreement or upon exchange in accordance with the terms of any other Security that has been duly authorized, issued, paid for and delivered, such shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

4. When Depositary Shares evidenced by Depositary Receipts are issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of a Deposit Agreement against the deposit of duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable shares of Preferred Stock or Preference Stock, such Depositary Shares will entitle the holders thereof to the rights specified in the Deposit Agreement.

5. When the Mortgage has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trustee and the Company, the specific terms of particular First Mortgage Bonds have been duly authorized and established in accordance with the applicable Indenture and such First Mortgage Bonds have been duly authorized, executed, authenticated, issued and delivered in accordance with the applicable Indenture and the applicable underwriting or other agreement, such First Mortgage Bonds will constitute a valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their terms (subject, as to enforcement of remedies, to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and to general equity principles).

In connection with my opinions expressed above, I have assumed that, at or prior to the time of the delivery of any such Security, (i) the Board of Directors shall have duly established the terms of such Security, (ii) the Registration Statement shall have been deemed or declared effective and such effectiveness shall not have been terminated or rescinded and (iii) there shall not have occurred

any change in law affecting the validity or enforceability of such Security. I have also assumed that none of the terms of any Security to be established subsequent to the date hereof, nor the issuance and delivery of such Security, nor the compliance by the Company with the terms of such Security will violate any applicable law or will result in a violation of any provision of any instrument or agreement then binding upon the Company, or any restriction imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company.

I am a member of the Bar of the State of Kansas and the foregoing opinion is limited to the laws of the State of Kansas (except state securities or blue sky laws) and the federal laws of the United States of America.

I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In addition, I consent to the reference to me under the caption “Legal Matters” in the prospectus, which is a part of the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, I do not admit that I am in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act.

This opinion is rendered solely to you in connection with the above matter. This opinion may not be relied upon by you for any other purpose or relied upon by or furnished to any other person without my prior written consent.

Westar Energy, Inc., a Kansas corporation (the “Company”) is filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”) for the purpose of registering under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), (i) shares of common stock, $5.00 par value (the “Common Stock”), (ii) shares of preferred stock, without par value (the “Preferred Stock”), (iii) shares of preference stock, par value to vary depending on the series (“Preference Stock” and together with the Preferred Stock the “Preferred Securities”), (iv) senior debt securities and subordinated debt securities (collectively, the “Debt Securities”) which may be issued pursuant to a senior debt indenture dated August 1, 1998, between the Company and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as Trustee (the “Senior Debt Trustee”) (the “Senior Debt Indenture”), incorporated as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, and a subordinated debt Indenture to be entered into between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee (the “Subordinated Debt Trustee,” and, together with the Senior Debt Trustee, the “Trustees”) (the “Subordinated Debt Indenture,” and together with the Senior Debt Indenture, the “Indentures”), substantially in the form incorporated as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, (v) first mortgage bonds (“First Mortgage Bonds”) which may be issued under and secured by the Mortgage and Deed of Trust, dated July 1, 1939, between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as successor to Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as trustee, as supplemented and amended by supplemental indentures thereto (the “Mortgage”), (vi) warrants to purchase Debt Securities, First Mortgage Bonds, Preferred Stock, Preference Stock, Common Stock or other securities or rights (the “Warrants”), which may be issued pursuant to a warrant agreement (the “Warrant Agreement”) between the Company and a warrant agent to be named therein (the “Warrant Agent”), (vii) purchase contracts (the “Purchase Contracts”) which may be issued under one or more purchase contract agreements (each, a “Purchase Contract Agreement”) to be entered into between the Company and the purchase contract agent to be named therein (the “Purchase Contract Agent”) requiring the holders thereof to purchase or sell (A) the Company’s securities or securities of an entity unaffiliated or affiliated with the Company, a basket of such securities, an index or indices of such securities or any combination of the above, (B) currencies or composite currencies or (C) commodities and (viii) units (the “Units”) to be issued under one or more unit agreements to be entered into between the Company, a bank or trust company, as unit agent (the “Unit Agent”) and the holders from time to time of the Units (each such unit agreement, a “Unit Agreement”) consisting of Debt Securities, First Mortgage Bonds, Warrants, Purchase Contracts, Preferred Securities, Common Stock or any combination of the foregoing. The Debt Securities, First Mortgage Bonds, Preferred Stock, Preference Stock, Common Stock, Warrants, Purchase Contracts and Units are herein collectively referred to as the “Securities”. The Debt Securities and the Preferred Securities may be convertible and/or exchangeable for Securities or other securities or rights. The Company may offer Depositary Shares (the “Depositary Shares”) representing interests in the Preferred Securities deposited with a Depositary and evidenced by Depositary Receipts, and such Depositary Shares are also covered by the Registration Statement.

We, as your counsel, have examined originals or copies of such documents, corporate records, certificates of public officials and other instruments as we have deemed necessary or advisable for the purpose of rendering this opinion.

In rendering the opinions expressed herein, we have, without independent inquiry or investigation, assumed that (i) all documents submitted to us as originals are authentic and complete, (ii) all documents submitted to us as copies conform to authentic, complete originals, (iii) all documents filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that have not been executed will conform to the forms thereof, (iv) all signatures on all documents that we reviewed are genuine, (v) all natural persons executing documents had and have the legal capacity to do so, (vi) all statements in certificates of public officials and officers of the Company that we reviewed were and are accurate and (vii) all representations made by the Company as to matters of fact in the documents that we reviewed were and are accurate.

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the additional assumptions and qualifications set forth below, we advise you that, in our opinion:

In connection with the opinions expressed above, we have assumed that, at or prior to the time of the delivery of any such security, (i) the Board of Directors shall have duly established the terms of such security and duly authorized the issuance and sale of such security and such authorization shall not have been modified or rescinded; (ii) the Company is, and shall remain, validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Kansas; (iii) the Senior Debt Indenture shall have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company insofar as Kansas law is concerned; (iv) the Registration Statement shall have been become effective and such effectiveness shall not have been terminated or rescinded; (v) the Indentures and the Debt Securities are each valid, binding and enforceable agreements of each party thereto (other than as expressly covered above in respect of the Company); and (vi) there shall not have occurred any change in law affecting the validity or enforceability of such security. We have also assumed that the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of any security whose terms are established subsequent to the date hereof (a) are within its corporate powers, (b) do not contravene, or constitute a default under, the certificate of incorporation or bylaws or other constitutive documents of the Company, (c) require no action by or in respect of, or filing with, any governmental body, agency or official and (d) do not contravene, or constitute a default under, any public policy, any provision of applicable law or regulation or any judgment, injunction, order or decree or any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company.

We are members of the Bar of the State of New York and the foregoing opinion is limited to the laws of the State of New York.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement referred to above and further consent to the reference to our name under the caption “Legal Matters” in the prospectus, which is a part of the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act.

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-3 of our reports dated February 28, 2013, relating to the consolidated financial statements and consolidated financial statement schedule of Westar Energy, Inc., and the effectiveness of Westar Energy Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting, appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Westar Energy, Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2012, and to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in the Prospectus, which is part of this Registration Statement.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

Exhibits identified in parentheses below, on file with the Commission, are incorporated herein by reference as an exhibit hereto, pursuant to Rule 7a-29 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Act”) and 17 C.F.R. 229.10(d).

Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., a banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of Chicago, and State of Illinois, on the 15th day of March, 2013.

At the close of business December 31, 2012, published in accordance with Federal regulatory authority instructions.

I, Cherisse Waligura, CFO of the above-named bank do hereby declare that the Reports of Condition and Income (including the supporting schedules) for this report date have been prepared in conformance with the instructions issued by the appropriate Federal regulatory authority and are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

We, the undersigned directors (trustees), attest to the correctness of the Report of Condition (including the supporting schedules) for this report date and declare that it has been examined by us and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions issued by the appropriate Federal regulatory authority and is true and correct.

If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

At the close of business December 31, 2012, published in accordance with Federal regulatory authority instructions.

(a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, the trustee, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and State of New York, on this 12th day of March, 2012.

All schedules are to be reported in thousands of dollars. Unless otherwise indicated,


• Common stock		• Unsecured subordinated debt securities
• Preferred stock		• First mortgage bonds
• Preference stock		• Warrants
• Depositary shares		• Purchase contracts
• Unsecured senior debt securities		• Units


• Maturity	• Dividends	• Conversion or exchange rights
• Interest rate	• Redemption terms	• Liquidation amount
• Sinking fund terms	• Listing on a securities exchange
• Currency of payments	• Amount payable at maturity


For the Fiscal Years Ended December 31,
2012	2011	2010	2009	2008
2.60x	2.36x	2.16x	1.79x	1.87x


For the Fiscal Years Ended December 31,
2012 (1)	2011	2010	2009	2008
2.57x	2.35x	2.15x	1.78x	1.87x



Title of Each Class of Securities to be Registered	Amount to be Registered	Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Unit (1)	Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price	Amount of Registration Fee (1)
Senior Debt Securities and Subordinated Debt Securities (collectively, “Debt Securities”)
First Mortgage Bonds
Preferred Stock
Depositary Shares
Preference Stock
Common Stock, $5.00 par value
Warrants
Purchase Contracts
Units


	Page
The Company		1
Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements		2
Use of Proceeds		3
Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges		4
Ratios of Earnings to Combined Fixed Charges and Preferred Dividends		4
Dividend Policy		4
Description of Capital Stock		5
Description of Depositary Shares		8
Description of Debt Securities		10
Description of First Mortgage Bonds		18
Description of Warrants		23
Description of Purchase Contracts		23
Description of Units		24
Global Securities		24
Plan of Distribution		26
Legal Matters		27
Experts		27
Available Information		27
Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference		28


	Amount to be Paid
Registration fee	$	*
Legal fees and expenses (including Blue Sky fees)		**
Trustee fees		**
Rating Agency fees		**
Printing and engraving fees		**
Accounting fees and expenses		**
Miscellaneous		**

Total	$	**


Exhibit No.		Document

1.1		Form of Underwriting Agreement (Debt Securities, First Mortgage Bonds, Warrants, Purchase Contracts and Units)*

1.2		Form of Underwriting Agreement (Preferred Stock, Preference Stock, Depositary Shares, Common Stock)*

3.1		By-laws of the Registrant, as amended April 28, 2004 (filed as Exhibit 3(a) to June 2004 Form 10-Q)

3.2		Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Registrant, as amended through May 25, 1988 (filed as Exhibit 4 to Form S-8 Registration Statement, SEC File No. 33-23022)

3.3		Certificate of Amendment to Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Registrant (filed as Exhibit 3(g) to December 1998 Form 10-K)

3.4		Certificate of Designations for Preference Stock, 8.5% Series (filed as Exhibit 3(d) to December 1993 Form 10-K)

3.5		Certificate of Correction to Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Registrant (filed as Exhibit 3(b) to December 1991 Form 10-K)

3.6		Certificate of Designations for Preference Stock, 7.58% Series (filed as Exhibit 3(e) to December 1993 Form 10-K)

3.7		Certificate of Amendment to Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Registrant (filed as Exhibit 3(c) to December 31, 1994 Form 10-K)

3.8		Certificate of Amendment to Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Registrant (filed as Exhibit 3 to June 1994 Form 10-Q)

3.9		Certificate of Amendment to Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Registrant (filed as Exhibit 3(a) to June 1996 Form 10-Q)

3.10		Certificate of Amendment to Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Registrant (filed as Exhibit 3 to March 1998 Form 10-Q)

3.11		Certificate of Amendment to Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Registrant (filed as Exhibit 3(l) to the December 31, 2002 Form 10-K)

3.12		Certificate of Amendment to Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Registrant (filed as Exhibit 3(m) to the December 31, 2002 Form 10-K)

3.13		Certificate of Amendment to Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Registrant (filed as Exhibit 3(m) to the Form S-3 Registration Statement No. 333-125828)

3.14		Certificate of Amendment to Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Registrant (filed as Exhibit 3(m) to the December 31, 2011 Form 10-K)

3.15		Form of Certificate of Decertification of Preference Shares (filed as Exhibit 3(n) to the December 31, 2011 Form 10-K)

4.1		Mortgage and Deed of Trust dated July 1, 1939 between the Registrant and Harris Trust and Savings Bank (filed as Exhibit 4(a) to Registration Statement No. 33-21739)

4.1.1		First and Second Supplemental Indentures dated July 1, 1939 and April 1, 1949, respectively (filed as Exhibit 4(b) to Registration Statement No. 33-21739)


Exhibit No.		Document

4.1.2		Sixth Supplemental Indenture dated October 4, 1951 (filed as Exhibit 4(b) to Registration Statement No. 33-21739)

4.1.3		Fourteenth Supplemental Indenture dated May 1, 1976 (filed as Exhibit 4(b) to Registration Statement No. 33-21739)

4.1.4		Twenty-Eighth Supplemental Indenture dated July 1, 1992 (filed as Exhibit 4(o) to the December 1992 Form 10-K)

4.1.5		Twenty-Ninth Supplemental Indenture dated August 20, 1992 (filed as Exhibit 4(p) to the December 1992 Form 10-K)

4.1.6		Thirtieth Supplemental Indenture dated February 1, 1993 (filed as Exhibit 4(q) to the December 1992 Form 10-K)

4.1.7		Thirty-First Supplemental Indenture dated April 15, 1993 (filed as Exhibit 4(r) to Registration Statement No. 33-50069)

4.1.8		Thirty-Second Supplemental Indenture dated April 15, 1994 (filed as Exhibit 4(s) to the December 31, 1994 Form 10-K)

4.1.9		Thirty-Fourth Supplemental Indenture dated June 28, 2000 (filed as Exhibit 4(v) to the December 31, 2000 Form 10-K)

4.1.10		Thirty-Fifth Supplemental Indenture dated May 10, 2002 (filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the March 31, 2002 Form 10-Q)

4.1.11		Thirty-Sixth Supplemental Indenture dated June 1, 2004 (filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the January 18, 2005 Form 8-K)

4.1.12		Thirty-Seventh Supplemental Indenture dated June 17, 2004 (filed as Exhibit 4.2 to the January 18, 2005 Form 8-K)

4.1.13		Thirty-Eighth Supplemental Indenture dated January 18, 2005 (filed as Exhibit 4.3 to the January 18, 2005 Form 8-K)

4.1.14		Thirty-Ninth Supplemental Indenture dated June 30, 2005 (filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the June 30, 2005 Form 8-K)

4.1.15		Fortieth Supplemental Indenture dated May 15, 2007 (filed as Exhibit 4.16 to the May 16, 2007 Form 8-K)

4.1.16		Forty-First Supplemental Indenture dated November 25, 2008 (filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the November 24, 2008 Form 8-K)

4.1.17		Forty-Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of March 1, 2012 (filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the February 28, 2012 Form 8-K)

4.1.18		Forty-Second Supplemental (Reopening) Indenture dated May 17, 2012 (filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the May 16, 2012 Form 8-K)

4.2		Senior Indenture dated August 1, 1998 between the Registrant and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as trustee (filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the June 30, 1998 Form 10-Q)

4.2(a)		Form of Senior Note (included in Exhibit 4.2)

4.3		Form of Subordinated Indenture between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee (filed as Exhibit 4.6 to April 5, 2007 Form S-3 Registration Statement No. 333-141899)

4.4		Form of Subordinated Note (included in Exhibit 4.3)

4.5		Form of Purchase Contract Agreement relating to Purchase Contracts (included in Exhibit 4.6)


Exhibit No.		Document

4.6		Form of Unit Agreement**

4.7		Form of Warrant Agreement for Warrants sold separately**

4.8		Form of Warrant for Warrants sold separately (included in Exhibit 4.7)

4.9		Form of Warrant Agreement for Warrants sold attached to other Securities**

4.10		Form of Warrant for Warrants sold attached to other Securities (included in Exhibit 4.9)

4.11		Form of Pledge Agreement**

4.12		Form of Deposit Agreement**

4.13		Form of Depositary Share (included in Exhibit 4.12)

5.1		Opinion of Larry D. Irick, Esq., General Counsel of the Registrant*

5.2		Opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP*

12		Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges and Ratio of Earnings to Combined Fixed Charges and Preferred Dividend Requirements*

23.1		Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP*

23.2		Consent of Larry D. Irick, Esq. (included in Exhibit 5.1)

23.3		Consent of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP (included in Exhibit 5.2)

24.1		Powers of Attorney (included on the signature pages hereof)

25.1		Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, of The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee under the Subordinated Indenture*

25.2		Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, of The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. as Trustee under the Mortgage and Deed of Trust*

25.3		Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, of Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as successor to Bankers Trust Company*


WESTAR ENERGY, INC.

By:		/S/ ANTHONY D. SOMMA
		Anthony D. Somma
		Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer


Signature	Title	Date

/S/ MARK A. RUELLE Mark A. Ruelle	Director, President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)	March 20, 2013

/S/ ANTHONY D. SOMMA Anthony D. Somma	Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)	March 20, 2013

/s/ CHARLES Q. CHANDLER IV Charles Q. Chandler IV	Chairman of the Board	March 20, 2013

/s/ MOLLIE H. CARTER Mollie H. Carter	Director	March 20, 2013

/s/ R.A. EDWARDS III R.A. Edwards III	Director	March 20, 2013

/s/ JERRY B. FARLEY Jerry B. Farley	Director	March 20, 2013


Underwriter		Number of Offered Securities To Be Purchased
[Insert syndicate list]

Total


Very truly yours,

[Names of Lead Managers]

On behalf of themselves and the other
Underwriters named herein

By		[ ]

By:
		Name:
		Title:


Very truly yours,

[Names of Lead Managers]

On behalf of themselves and the other Underwriters named herein

By		[ ]

By:
		Name:
		Title:


Underwriter		Number of Offered Securities To Be Purchased
[Insert syndicate list]

Total


Underwriter		Number of Firm Securities To Be Purchased
[Insert syndicate list]

Total


Very truly yours,
[Names of Lead Managers]

On behalf of themselves and the other Underwriters named herein


	Year Ended December 31,
	2012		2011		2010		2009		2008
Earnings from continuing operations (a)	$	406,638	$	339,274	$	293,591	$	200,226	$	182,139

Fixed Charges:
Interest (expensed and capitalized) (b)		186,736		178,049		179,272		162,217		126,986
Interest on corporate-owned life insurance borrowings		63,518		66,326		68,926		68,401		58,207
Interest applicable to rentals (b)		4,675		4,528		4,325		22,353		23,227

Total Fixed Charges (c)		254,929		248,903		252,523		252,971		208,420

Distributed income of equity investees		—		—		—		—		—

Preferred Dividend Requirements:
Preferred dividends		1,616		970		970		970		970
Income tax required		723		424		396		404		22

Total Preferred Dividend Requirements (d)		2,339		1,394		1,366		1,374		992

Total Fixed Charges and Preferred Dividend Requirements		257,268		250,297		253,889		254,345		209,412

Earnings (e)	$	661,567	$	588,177	$	546,114	$	453,197	$	390,559

Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges		2.60		2.36		2.16		1.79		1.87
Ratio of Earnings to Combined Fixed Charges and Preferred Dividend Requirements		2.57		2.35		2.15		1.78		1.87


		95-3571558
(Jurisdiction of incorporation if not a U.S. national bank)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

400 South Hope Street Suite 400 Los Angeles, California		90071
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip code)


Kansas		48-0290150
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

818 South Kansas Avenue Topeka, Kansas		66612
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip code)


Name		Address
Comptroller of the Currency United States Department of the Treasury		Washington, DC 20219

Federal Reserve Bank		San Francisco, CA 94105

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation		Washington, DC 20429


THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.

By:		/s/ R. Tarnas
Name:		R. Tarnas
Title:		Vice President


	Dollar Amounts in Thousands
ASSETS
Cash and balances due from depository institutions:
Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin		1,455
Interest-bearing balances		1,301
Securities:
Held-to-maturity securities		0
Available-for-sale securities		660,687
Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:
Federal funds sold		73,000
Securities purchased under agreements to resell		0
Loans and lease financing receivables:
Loans and leases held for sale		0
Loans and leases, net of unearned income		0
LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses		0
Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance		0
Trading assets		0
Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)		5,887
Other real estate owned		0
Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies		0
Direct and indirect investments in real estate ventures		0
Intangible assets:
Goodwill		856,313
Other intangible assets		159,149
Other assets		150,314

Total assets	$	1,908,106


LIABILITIES
Deposits:
In domestic offices			498
Noninterest-bearing			498
Interest-bearing			0
Not applicable
Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:
Federal funds purchased			0
Securities sold under agreements to repurchase			0
Trading liabilities			0
Other borrowed money:
(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)			0
Not applicable
Not applicable
Subordinated notes and debentures			0
Other liabilities			236,096
Total liabilities			236,594
Not applicable

EQUITY CAPITAL
Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus			0
Common stock			1,000
Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)			1,121,520
Not available
Retained earnings			544,518
Accumulated other comprehensive income			4,474
Other equity capital components			0
Not available
Total bank equity capital			1,671,512
Noncontrolling (minority) interests in consolidated subsidiaries			0
Total equity capital			1,671,512

Total liabilities and equity capital			1,908,106


Kansas (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)		48-0290150 (I.R.S. Employer identification no.)

818 South Kansas Avenue Topeka, Kansas (Address of principal executive offices)		66612 (Zip code)


THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.

By:		/s/ R. Tarnas
Name: R. Tarnas Title: Vice President


NEW YORK		13-4941247
(Jurisdiction of Incorporation or organization if not a U.S. national bank)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification no.)

60 WALL STREET NEW YORK, NEW YORK		10005
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip Code)


Name		Address
Federal Reserve Bank (2nd District)		New York, NY
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation		Washington, D.C.
New York State Banking Department		Albany, NY



Exhibit 1 -		Restated Organization Certificate of Bankers Trust Company dated August 6, 1998, Certificate of Amendment of the Organization Certificate of Bankers Trust Company dated September 25, 1998, Certificate of Amendment of the Organization Certificate of Bankers Trust Company dated December 16, 1998, and Certificate of Amendment of the Organization Certificate of Bankers Trust Company dated February 27, 2002 - Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1 filed with Form T-1 Statement, Registration No. 333-157637-01.

Exhibit 2 -		Certificate of Authority to commence business - Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 2 filed with Form T-1 Statement, Registration No. 333-157637-01.

Exhibit 3 -		Authorization of the Trustee to exercise corporate trust powers - Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3 filed with Form T-1 Statement, Registration No. 333-157637-01.

Exhibit 4 -		Existing By-Laws of Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as amended on April 15, 2002 business - Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4 filed with Form T-1 Statement, Registration No. 333-157637-01.



Exhibit 5 -		Not applicable.

Exhibit 6 -		Consent of Bankers Trust Company required by Section 321(b) of the Act. - business - Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 6 filed with Form T-1 Statement, Registration No. 333-157637-01.

Exhibit 7 -		The latest report of condition of Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas dated as of December 31, 2012. Copy attached.

Exhibit 8 -		Not Applicable.

Exhibit 9 -		Not Applicable.


DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS

By:		/s/ Dennis Gillespie.
		Name: Dennis Gillespie
		Title: Vice President


DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS			FFIEC 031

Legal Title of Bank			Page 15 of 71

NEW YORK			RC-1
City
NY 10005
State Zip Code
FDIC Certificate Number: 00623