The Kansas Gas & Electric Company was organized by The American Power & Light Company (KG&E) in 1909 to operate utilities in Wichita, Pittsburg, and Frontenac. One year later the company was serving 5,500 customers in the three communities.
Illinois Power & Light Corporation financially backed the creation of Kansas Power & Light Company (KPL) in 1924.
KPL and KG&E merged in 1992 to form Western Resources. In 2002 the company changed its name to Westar Energy.
Today Westar Energy serves 700,000 electricity customers in Kansas and operates 35,000 miles of transmission and distribution lines. The company also supplies electric power to more than 30 cities in Kansas. Kansas City Power & Light Company is the company’s principal subsidiary.
Westar Energy trades publicly on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol WR, is a member of the S&P 400, is #869 in the Fortune 1000, has 2,400 employees, and had $2.60 billion in revenue in 2014.
