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 24, 1997




                      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 (785) 575-6300   
<PAGE>




                     WESTERN RESOURCES, INC.

Item 5. Other Events

Western Resources herein files the following:

Exhibit 99.1 - Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Financial Information of Western
Resources, Inc. and Kansas City Power & Light Company

Exhibit 99.2 - March 31, 1997 Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for Kansas City
Power & Light Company

AVAILABLE INFORMATION

     The reader's attention is directed to additional filings of Western
Resources, Inc. (Western Resources) and Kansas City Power & Light Company
(KCPL).

     Western Resources and KCPL are subject to the informational requirements
of the Exchange Act, and in accordance therewith file reports, proxy
statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the Commission).  Reports, proxy statements and other information filed by
Western Resources and KCPL with the Commission may be inspected and copied at
the public reference facilities maintained by the Commission at Judiciary
Plaza, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Room 1024, Washington D.C. 20549 and at the
public reference facilities in the Commission's Regional Offices at Seven
World Trade Center, 13th Floor, New York, New York 10048 and Citicorp Center,
500 West Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661.  Copies of
information may be obtained from the Public Reference Section of the
Commission at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.  20549 at prescribed
rates.  Because Western Resources and KCPL each file certain documents
electronically with the Commission, reports, proxy and information statements
and other information regarding Western Resources and KCPL may also be
obtained at prescribed rates from the Commission at the Commission's Web Site,
http//:www.sec.gov.  The Western Resources Common Stock and the KCPL Common
Stock are listed and traded on the NYSE.  The KCPL Common Stock is also listed
on the Chicago Stock Exchange.  Reports, proxy statements and other
information filed by Western Resources and KCPL with the Commission may be
inspected at the offices of the NYSE, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York
10005 and, concerning KCPL only, at the offices of the CSE, 440 South LaSalle
Street, Chicago, Illinois 60605.

INFORMATION ON KCPL INCLUDED IN UNAUDITED PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION.

     On February 7, 1997, KCPL and Western Resources entered into an
agreement whereby KCPL would be merged with and into Western Resources.

     While Western Resources has included in Exhibit 99.1 filed beneath
information concerning KCPL insofar as it is known or reasonably available to
Western Resources, Western Resources is not affiliated with KCPL.  Western
Resources has not examined KCPL's books and records for the purpose of
preparing this document.  Therefore, information concerning KCPL which has not
been made public was not available to Western Resources for the purpose of
preparing this document.  Although Western Resources has no knowledge that
would indicate that statements relating to KCPL contained or incorporated by
reference in Exhibit 99.1 in reliance upon publicly available information are
inaccurate or incomplete, Western Resources was not involved in the
preparation of such information and statements and, for the foregoing reasons,
is not in a position to verify any such information or statements.  In
addition, Western Resources was not involved in the preparation of Exhibit
99.2, and therefore is not in a position to verify any of the information
contained therein.

<PAGE>




                               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 24, 1997                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": "97645135"}, "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 24, 1997

                      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 (785) 575-6300
WESTERN RESOURCES, INC.

Item 5. Other Events

Western Resources herein files the following:

Exhibit 99.1 - Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Financial Information of Western
Resources, Inc. and Kansas City Power & Light Company

Exhibit 99.2 - March 31, 1997 Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for Kansas City
Power & Light Company

AVAILABLE INFORMATION

     The reader's attention is directed to additional filings of Western
Resources, Inc. (Western Resources) and Kansas City Power & Light Company
(KCPL).

     Western Resources and KCPL are subject to the informational requirements
of the Exchange Act, and in accordance therewith file reports, proxy
statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the Commission).  Reports, proxy statements and other information filed by
Western Resources and KCPL with the Commission may be inspected and copied at
the public reference facilities maintained by the Commission at Judiciary
Plaza, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Room 1024, Washington D.C. 20549 and at the
public reference facilities in the Commission's Regional Offices at Seven
World Trade Center, 13th Floor, New York, New York 10048 and Citicorp Center,
500 West Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661.  Copies of
information may be obtained from the Public Reference Section of the
Commission at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.  20549 at prescribed
rates.  Because Western Resources and KCPL each file certain documents
electronically with the Commission, reports, proxy and information statements
and other information regarding Western Resources and KCPL may also be
obtained at prescribed rates from the Commission at the Commission's Web Site,
http//:www.sec.gov.  The Western Resources Common Stock and the KCPL Common
Stock are listed and traded on the NYSE.  The KCPL Common Stock is also listed
on the Chicago Stock Exchange.  Reports, proxy statements and other
information filed by Western Resources and KCPL with the Commission may be
inspected at the offices of the NYSE, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York
10005 and, concerning KCPL only, at the offices of the CSE, 440 South LaSalle
Street, Chicago, Illinois 60605.

INFORMATION ON KCPL INCLUDED IN UNAUDITED PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION.

     On February 7, 1997, KCPL and Western Resources entered into an
agreement whereby KCPL would be merged with and into Western Resources.

     While Western Resources has included in Exhibit 99.1 filed beneath
information concerning KCPL insofar as it is known or reasonably available to
Western Resources, Western Resources is not affiliated with KCPL.  Western
Resources has not examined KCPL's books and records for the purpose of
preparing this document.  Therefore, information concerning KCPL which has not
been made public was not available to Western Resources for the purpose of
preparing this document.  Although Western Resources has no knowledge that
would indicate that statements relating to KCPL contained or incorporated by
reference in Exhibit 99.1 in reliance upon publicly available information are
inaccurate or incomplete, Western Resources was not involved in the
preparation of such information and statements and, for the foregoing reasons,
is not in a position to verify any such information or statements.  In
addition, Western Resources was not involved in the preparation of Exhibit
99.2, and therefore is not in a position to verify any of the information
contained therein.
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 24, 1997                By      /s/ Jerry D. Courington        
                                                  Jerry D. Courington,
                                                       Controller