SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                    Washington, D.C.  20549
                                
                                
                                
                                
                            FORM 8-K
                                
                                
                                
                                
                         CURRENT REPORT
                                
                                
                                
                                
               PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
              THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
                                
                                
                                
 Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported) July 26, 1996
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                      WESTERN RESOURCES, INC.              
     (Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)





           KANSAS                     1-3523          48-0290150  
(State or Other Jurisdiction of    (Commission         (Employer
Incorporation or Organization      File Number    Identification No.)



  818 KANSAS AVENUE, TOPEKA, KANSAS                      66612   
(address of Principal Executive Offices                (Zip Code)




Registrant's Telephone Number Including Area Code (913) 575-6300

                      WESTERN RESOURCES, INC.

Item 5. Other Events

     On July 26, 1996, Western Resources, Inc. issued the following Press
Release:

KCC STAFF, WESTERN RESOURCES REACH AGREEMENT IN RATE CASE
     
SETTLEMENT PROVIDES SOLID BASIS FOR KCPL MERGER
     
       TOPEKA, Kansas, July 26 , 1996 -- Western Resources today announced 
   it has reached a settlement agreement with the Kansas Corporation 
   Commission (KCC) staff regarding rate decreases for its KPL and KGE 
   customers while it moves forward to merge with the Kansas City Power & 
   Light Company.
      "We are pleased that together with the KCC staff we have struck the 
   balance of providing immediate savings for our customers while doing so 
   in a fiscally prudent manner," said John E. Hayes, Jr., Western 
   Resources chairman of the board and chief executive officer. "The 
   agreement reached today allows us to meet competitive forces in our 
   industry and continue with our business plans to be a national leader in 
   energy services and products." 
      Details of the settlement include a $37.3 million rate reduction for 
   KGE customers and an $8.7 million reduction for KPL customers upon KCC 
   approval. In January 1998, KGE customers will receive an additional $10 
   million rate reduction.
      "Importantly, the KCC staff's initial rate reduction recommendation 
   has been touted by KCPL as a possible stumbling block in our offer to 
   merge with them," said Hayes. "We've been saying
     
   p. 2 -- SETTLEMENT
   all along the issue was a matter of timing and implementing rate 
   decreases in a sound, businesslike manner. Now, Western Resources has 
   been proved right."
      The agreement reached today supports Western Resources' projected 
   earnings calculations for a Western Resources/KCPL merged company. KCPL 
   shareowners will receive $31 for every share of KCPL common stock, and a 
   projected dividend between $2.00 and $2.35 per share at the close of the 
   merger.*
      With the reduction agreed upon today, KGE rates will fall to nine 
   percent below the national average.  KPL rates, already 27 percent below 
   the national average, drop another two percent. Western Resources also 
   has agreed to keep retail electric rates stable for five years.
      "We continue to believe our offer for KCPL is the most valuable for 
   shareowners," said Hayes. "Reaching this agreement validates our beliefs 
   and confirms the viability of our offer. Now that we have resolution of 
   this issue, we're continuing to make a Western Resources/KCPL 
   combination a reality."
      Today's agreement will be presented to the KCC. Following KCC 
   approval, the rate reductions will be immediately implemented.
                         
      Western Resources (NYSE:WR) is a diversified energy company. Its 
   utilities, KPL and KGE, operating in Kansas and Oklahoma, provide 
   natural gas service to approximately 650,000 customers and electric 
   service to approximately 600,000 customers. Through its subsidiaries, 
   Westar Business Services, Westar Consumer Services, Westar Capital, and 
   The Wing Group, energy-related products and services are developed and 
   marketed in the continental U.S., and offshore.
      For more information about Western Resources and its operating 
   companies, visit us on the Internet at http://www.wstnres.com.
     
      This news release is neither an offer to exchange nor a solicitation 
   of an offer to exchange shares of common stock of KCPL. Such offer is 
   made solely by the Prospectus dated July 3, 1996, and the related Letter 
   of Transmittal, and is not being made to, nor will tenders be accepted 
   from or on behalf of, holders of shares of common stock of KCPL in any 
   jurisdiction in which the making of such offer or the acceptance thereof 
   would not be in compliance with the laws of such jurisdiction. In any 
   jurisdictions where securities, blue sky or other laws require such 
   offer to be made by a licensed broker or dealer, such offer shall be 
   deemed to be made on behalf of Western Resources, Inc. by Salomon 
   Brothers Inc or one or more registered brokers or dealers licensed under 
   the laws of such jurisdiction.
     
      *Dividend per KCPL share is based upon Western Resources' projected 
   post-merger 1998 annual dividend rate of $2.14 per share of Western 
   Resources common stock and the exchange ratio in Western Resources' 
   offer. Price per KCPL share (payable in Western Resources common stock) 
   assumes that Western Resources' average share price is between $28.18 
   and $33.23 at the time of closing.



                              SIGNATURES


     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.




                                             Western Resources, Inc.




Date   July 26, 1996                By      /s/ Jerry D. Courington          
                                                Jerry D. Courington,
                                                     Controller
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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "WESTERN RESOURCES INC /KS", "cik": "0000054507", "assigned-sic": "4931", "irs-number": "480290150", "state-of-incorporation": "KS", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-03523", "film-number": "96599749"}, "business-address": {"street1": "818 KANSAS AVE", "city": "TOPEKA", "state": "KS", "zip": "66612", "phone": "9135756300"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "KANSAS POWER & LIGHT CO", "date-changed": "19920507"}}
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                    Washington, D.C.  20549
                                
                                
                                
                                
                            FORM 8-K
                                
                                
                                
                                
                         CURRENT REPORT
                                
                                
                                
                                
               PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
              THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
                                
                                
                                
 Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported) July 26, 1996
                                
                                
                                
                                
                                
                      WESTERN RESOURCES, INC.              
     (Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

           KANSAS                     1-3523          48-0290150  
(State or Other Jurisdiction of    (Commission         (Employer
Incorporation or Organization      File Number    Identification No.)

  818 KANSAS AVENUE, TOPEKA, KANSAS                      66612   
(address of Principal Executive Offices                (Zip Code)

Registrant's Telephone Number Including Area Code (913) 575-6300

                      WESTERN RESOURCES, INC.

Item 5. Other Events

     On July 26, 1996, Western Resources, Inc. issued the following Press
Release:

KCC STAFF, WESTERN RESOURCES REACH AGREEMENT IN RATE CASE
     
SETTLEMENT PROVIDES SOLID BASIS FOR KCPL MERGER
     
       TOPEKA, Kansas, July 26 , 1996 -- Western Resources today announced 
   it has reached a settlement agreement with the Kansas Corporation 
   Commission (KCC) staff regarding rate decreases for its KPL and KGE 
   customers while it moves forward to merge with the Kansas City Power & 
   Light Company.
      "We are pleased that together with the KCC staff we have struck the 
   balance of providing immediate savings for our customers while doing so 
   in a fiscally prudent manner," said John E. Hayes, Jr., Western 
   Resources chairman of the board and chief executive officer. "The 
   agreement reached today allows us to meet competitive forces in our 
   industry and continue with our business plans to be a national leader in 
   energy services and products." 
      Details of the settlement include a $37.3 million rate reduction for 
   KGE customers and an $8.7 million reduction for KPL customers upon KCC 
   approval. In January 1998, KGE customers will receive an additional $10 
   million rate reduction.
      "Importantly, the KCC staff's initial rate reduction recommendation 
   has been touted by KCPL as a possible stumbling block in our offer to 
   merge with them," said Hayes. "We've been saying
     
   p. 2 -- SETTLEMENT
   all along the issue was a matter of timing and implementing rate 
   decreases in a sound, businesslike manner. Now, Western Resources has 
   been proved right."
      The agreement reached today supports Western Resources' projected 
   earnings calculations for a Western Resources/KCPL merged company. KCPL 
   shareowners will receive $31 for every share of KCPL common stock, and a 
   projected dividend between $2.00 and $2.35 per share at the close of the 
   merger.*
      With the reduction agreed upon today, KGE rates will fall to nine 
   percent below the national average.  KPL rates, already 27 percent below 
   the national average, drop another two percent. Western Resources also 
   has agreed to keep retail electric rates stable for five years.
      "We continue to believe our offer for KCPL is the most valuable for 
   shareowners," said Hayes. "Reaching this agreement validates our beliefs 
   and confirms the viability of our offer. Now that we have resolution of 
   this issue, we're continuing to make a Western Resources/KCPL 
   combination a reality."
      Today's agreement will be presented to the KCC. Following KCC 
   approval, the rate reductions will be immediately implemented.
                         
      Western Resources (NYSE:WR) is a diversified energy company. Its 
   utilities, KPL and KGE, operating in Kansas and Oklahoma, provide 
   natural gas service to approximately 650,000 customers and electric 
   service to approximately 600,000 customers. Through its subsidiaries, 
   Westar Business Services, Westar Consumer Services, Westar Capital, and 
   The Wing Group, energy-related products and services are developed and 
   marketed in the continental U.S., and offshore.
      For more information about Western Resources and its operating 
   companies, visit us on the Internet at http://www.wstnres.com.
     
      This news release is neither an offer to exchange nor a solicitation 
   of an offer to exchange shares of common stock of KCPL. Such offer is 
   made solely by the Prospectus dated July 3, 1996, and the related Letter 
   of Transmittal, and is not being made to, nor will tenders be accepted 
   from or on behalf of, holders of shares of common stock of KCPL in any 
   jurisdiction in which the making of such offer or the acceptance thereof 
   would not be in compliance with the laws of such jurisdiction. In any 
   jurisdictions where securities, blue sky or other laws require such 
   offer to be made by a licensed broker or dealer, such offer shall be 
   deemed to be made on behalf of Western Resources, Inc. by Salomon 
   Brothers Inc or one or more registered brokers or dealers licensed under 
   the laws of such jurisdiction.
     
      *Dividend per KCPL share is based upon Western Resources' projected 
   post-merger 1998 annual dividend rate of $2.14 per share of Western 
   Resources common stock and the exchange ratio in Western Resources' 
   offer. Price per KCPL share (payable in Western Resources common stock) 
   assumes that Western Resources' average share price is between $28.18 
   and $33.23 at the time of closing.

                              SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                             Western Resources, Inc.

Date   July 26, 1996                By      /s/ Jerry D. Courington          
                                                Jerry D. Courington,
                                                     Controller