<PAGE>

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 13, 1997
                                                           Registration No. 333-
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                      ------------------------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      Under
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                      ------------------------------------

                              UTILICORP UNITED INC.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

                Delaware                               44-0541877
     (State or other jurisdiction of                (I.R.S. Employer
     incorporation or organization)                Identification No.)

                              20 West Ninth Street
                        Kansas City, Missouri  64105-1711
   (Address, including zip code, of Registrant's principal executive offices)


                              UTILICORP UNITED INC.

                 AMENDED AND RESTATED 1986 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
                            (FULL TITLE OF THE PLAN)

                      ------------------------------------


                                                             Copy to:
         Richard C. Green, Jr.                       Jeffrey T. Haughey, Esq.
         UtiliCorp United Inc.                       Blackwell Sanders Matheny
         20 West Ninth Street                          Weary & Lombardi L.C.
   Kansas City, Missouri  64105-1711               2300 Main Street, Suite 1100
            (816) 421-6600                         Kansas City, Missouri  64108
(Name, address, telephone number, of agent for service)    816-274-6800

                     ---------------------------------------


                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   Amount        Proposed Maximum    Proposed Maximum        Amount of
 Title of Securities to be         to be          Offering Price        Aggregate          Registration
         Registered              Registered*        Per Share(1)       Offering Price            Fee
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                            <C>               <C>                 <C>                   <C>
Common Stock, par value
$1 per share . . . . . . .     2,000,000 shares        $27.5625         $55,125,000            $16,705
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

(1)  Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee
     pursuant to Rule 457(h), based on the average of the high and low prices of
     the Registrant's Common Stock as listed on the New York Stock Exchange on
     January 10, 1997.



<PAGE>

                                EXPLANATORY NOTES

PURSUANT TO INSTRUCTION E OF THE GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO FORM S-8, THE CONTENTS
OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-8, FILE NO. 33-38670, ARE HEREBY
INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE.

AS PERMITTED BY THE RULES OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION (THE
"COMMISSION"), THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT OMITS THE INFORMATION SPECIFIED IN
PART I OF FORM S-8.



<PAGE>

                                     PART II
               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

     The following documents filed with the Commission by UtiliCorp United Inc.
(the "Registrant") (File No. 1-3562) are incorporated in this Registration
Statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement") by reference:

     (a)  The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
          December 31, 1995;

     (b)  The Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as amended by the
          Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q/A for the quarter ended 
          March 31, 1996;

     (c)  The Registrant's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended
          June 30, 1996 and September 30, 1996;

     (d)  The Registrant's Current Reports on Form 8-K dated January 19, 1996,
          May 22, 1996, May 28, 1996 and September 30, 1996;

     (e)  The Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K, as amended by the
          Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K/A, dated April 1, 1996; and

     (f)  The description of the Registrant's Common Stock set forth in the 
          Form 8-B Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on 
          May 5, 1987.

     All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the "Exchange Act"), prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which
indicates that all securities offered hereunder have been sold or which
deregisters all of the securities offered then remaining unsold, shall be deemed
to be incorporated herein by reference and to be a part hereof from the date of
filing of such documents.  Any statement contained in a document incorporated or
deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be modified or superseded,
for purposes of this Registration Statement, to the extent that a statement
contained herein or in any subsequently filed document which is deemed to be
incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement.  Any
statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as modified or
superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

ITEM 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

     Not applicable.

ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

     Not applicable.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

     Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law confers broad powers
upon corporations incorporated in that State with respect to indemnification of
any person against liabilities incurred by reason of the fact that such person
is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or
was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee
or agent of another corporation or other business entity.  The provisions of
Section 145 are not exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking
indemnification may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement or otherwise.

     The Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant contains a provision
that eliminates the personal liability of the Registrant's directors to the
Registrant or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty
to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law.

     There is in effect for the Registrant a dual phase insurance policy
providing directors and officers with indemnification, subject to certain
exclusions and to the extent not otherwise indemnified by the Registrant,
against loss (including expenses incurred in the defense of actions, suits or
proceedings in connection



<PAGE>

therewith) arising from any negligent act, error, omission or breach of duty
while acting in their capacity as directors and officers of the Registrant.  The
policy also reimburses the Registrant for liability incurred in the
indemnification of its directors and officers.

     There is also in effect a Bylaw provision entitling officers and directors
to be indemnified by the Registrant against costs or expenses, attorneys' fees,
judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement that are actually and reasonably
incurred in connection with any action, suit or proceeding, including actions
brought by or in the right of the Registrant, to which such persons are made or
threatened to be made a party, by reason of their being a director or officer.
Such right, however, may be made only as authorized by (i) a majority vote of a
quorum of disinterested directors, or (ii) if such quorum is not obtainable or,
if obtainable, a majority thereof so directs, by independent legal counsel, or
(iii) by the stockholders of the Registrant, upon a determination that the
person seeking indemnification acted in good faith and in the manner that he or
she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the Registrant's best
interest, or, if the action is criminal in nature, upon a determination that the
person seeking indemnification had no reasonable cause to believe that such
person's conduct was unlawful.  This provision also requires the Registrant,
upon authorization by the Board of Directors, to advance costs and expenses,
including attorneys' fees, reasonably incurred in defending such actions;
provided, that any person seeking such an advance first provide the Registrant
with an undertaking to repay any amount as to which it may be determined such
person is not entitled.

ITEM 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

     Not applicable.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS

     *4(a)(1)  Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant (Exhibit 4(a)(1)
               to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
               year ended December 31, 1991.)

     *4(a)(2)  Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation of the
               Registrant.  (Exhibit 4(a)(1) to Registration Statement No.  33-
               16990, filed September 3, 1987.)

     *4(a)(3)  Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation of the
               Registrant.  (Exhibit 4(a)(5) to Registration Statement No. 33-
               50260, filed July 31, 1992.)

     *4(a)(4)  Certificate of Designation of the Preference Stock (Cumulative),
               $2.05 Series.  (Exhibit 3(a)(4) to the Registrant's Annual Report
               on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1991.)

     *4(b)     Bylaws of the Registrant, as amended.  (Exhibit 3 to the
               Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
               March 31, 1995.)

     *4(c)     Twentieth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of May 26, 1989,
               Supplement to Indenture of Mortgage and Deed of Trust, dated July
               1, 1951.  (Exhibit 4(d) to Registration Statement No. 33-45382,
               filed January 30, 1992.)

     *4(d)(1)  Indenture, dated as of November 1, 1990, between the Registrant
               and The First National Bank of Chicago, Trustee.  (Exhibit 4(a)
               to the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated November
               30, 1990.)

     *4(d)(2)  First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 27, 1990
               (Exhibit 4(b) to the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K,
               dated November 30, 1990.)

     *4(d)(3)  Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 15, 1991.
               (Exhibit 4(a) to the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K,
               dated December 19, 1991.)

     *4(d)(4)  Third Supplemental Indenture, dated as of January 15, 1992.
               (Exhibit 4(c)(4) to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K
               for the year ended December 31, 1991.)

     *4(d)(5)  Fourth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of February 24, 1993.
               (Exhibit 4(c)(5) to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K
               for the year ended December 31, 1992.)

<PAGE>

     *4(d)(6)  Fifth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of April 1, 1993.
               (Exhibit 4(c)(6) to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K
               for the year ended December 31, 1993.)

     *4(d)(7)  Sixth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 1, 1994.
               (Exhibit 4(d)(7) to Registration Statement No. 33-57167, filed
               January 4, 1995.)

     *4(d)(8)  Seventh Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June 1, 1995.
               (Exhibit 4 to the Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
               the period ended June 30, 1995.)

     *4(d)(9)  Eighth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 1, 1996.
               (Exhibit 4(d)(9) to Registration Statement No. 333-14869 filed
               October 25, 1996.)

               Long-term instruments of the Registrant in amounts not exceeding
               10 percent of the total assets of the Registrant and its
               subsidiaries on a consolidated basis will be furnished to the
               Commission upon request.

     5         Opinion of Blackwell Sanders Matheny Weary & Lombardi L.C.

     23(a)     Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP, Kansas City, Missouri

     23(b)     Consent of Arthur Andersen, Melbourne, Australia

     23(c)     Consent of Blackwell Sanders Matheny Weary & Lombardi L.C.
               (included in opinion filed as Exhibit 5).

     24        Powers of Attorney executed by certain officers and members of
               the Board of Directors of the Registrant.

------------
*Exhibits marked with an asterisk are incorporated by reference as indicated
pursuant to Rule 411(c).

ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKING

RULE 415 OFFERING.

     The Registrant hereby undertakes:

     (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a
post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

          (i)  To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the
     Securities Act of 1933 (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;

          (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) and (ii) do not apply if the
     information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
     paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the Registrant
     pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are
     incorporated by reference in this 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 therein, and
     the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the
     initial bona fide offering thereof.



<PAGE>

     (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.


INCORPORATION OF SUBSEQUENT EXCHANGE ACT DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

     The 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 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.

FORM S-8 REGISTRATION STATEMENT.

     Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is
against public policy as expressed in the Securities 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 Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its 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 Securities Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.


<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES

     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-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Kansas City, State of Missouri, on the 13th day of
January, 1997.

                                        UTILICORP UNITED INC.


                                   By:     /s/ Dale J. Wolf
                                       ------------------------------------
                                             Dale J. Wolf
                                             Vice President-Finance, Treasurer
                                             and Corporate Secretary


     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities indicated on the 13th day of January, 1997.

      Signature                               Title
      ---------                               -----
Richard C. Green. Jr.        Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
--------------------------   (Principal Executive Officer)
Richard C. Green, Jr.


Terry G. Westbrook           Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
--------------------------   (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)
Terry G. Westbrook


Richard C. Green, Jr.        )
Don R. Armacost              )
John R. Baker                )
Herman Cain                  )
Robert K. Green              )     The Board of Directors
Irving O. Hockaday, Jr.      )
Stanley O. Ikenberry, Ph.D.  )
Robert F. Jackson, Jr.       )
L. Patton Kline              )
Avis G. Tucker               )




                             As attorney-in-fact for the above-named
By:    /s/Dale J. Wolf       officers and directors pursuant to powers
     ----------------------  of attorney duly executed by such
            Dale J. Wolf     persons
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 19150}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "UTILICORP UNITED INC", "cik": "0000066960", "assigned-sic": "4931", "irs-number": "440541877", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-19671", "film-number": "97504899"}, "business-address": {"street1": "3000 COMMERCE TOWER", "street2": "911 MAIN STE 3000", "city": "KANSAS CITY", "state": "MO", "zip": "64105", "phone": "8164216600"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "PO BOX 13287", "city": "KANSAS CITY", "state": "MO", "zip": "64199-3287"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "MISSOURI PUBLIC SERVICE CO", "date-changed": "19850516"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 13, 1997
                                                           Registration No. 333-
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                      ------------------------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      Under
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                      ------------------------------------

                              UTILICORP UNITED INC.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

                Delaware                               44-0541877
     (State or other jurisdiction of                (I.R.S. Employer
     incorporation or organization)                Identification No.)

                              20 West Ninth Street
                        Kansas City, Missouri  64105-1711
   (Address, including zip code, of Registrant's principal executive offices)

                              UTILICORP UNITED INC.

                 AMENDED AND RESTATED 1986 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
                            (FULL TITLE OF THE PLAN)

                      ------------------------------------

                                                             Copy to:
         Richard C. Green, Jr.                       Jeffrey T. Haughey, Esq.
         UtiliCorp United Inc.                       Blackwell Sanders Matheny
         20 West Ninth Street                          Weary & Lombardi L.C.
   Kansas City, Missouri  64105-1711               2300 Main Street, Suite 1100
            (816) 421-6600                         Kansas City, Missouri  64108
(Name, address, telephone number, of agent for service)    816-274-6800

                     ---------------------------------------

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   Amount        Proposed Maximum    Proposed Maximum        Amount of
 Title of Securities to be         to be          Offering Price        Aggregate          Registration
         Registered              Registered*        Per Share(1)       Offering Price            Fee
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock, par value
$1 per share . . . . . . .     2,000,000 shares        $27.5625         $55,125,000            $16,705
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1)  Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee
     pursuant to Rule 457(h), based on the average of the high and low prices of
     the Registrant's Common Stock as listed on the New York Stock Exchange on
     January 10, 1997.
EXPLANATORY NOTES

PURSUANT TO INSTRUCTION E OF THE GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO FORM S-8, THE CONTENTS
OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-8, FILE NO. 33-38670, ARE HEREBY
INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE.

AS PERMITTED BY THE RULES OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION (THE
"COMMISSION"), THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT OMITS THE INFORMATION SPECIFIED IN
PART I OF FORM S-8.
PART II
               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

     The following documents filed with the Commission by UtiliCorp United Inc.
(the "Registrant") (File No. 1-3562) are incorporated in this Registration
Statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement") by reference:

     (a)  The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
          December 31, 1995;

     (b)  The Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as amended by the
          Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q/A for the quarter ended 
          March 31, 1996;

     (c)  The Registrant's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended
          June 30, 1996 and September 30, 1996;

     (d)  The Registrant's Current Reports on Form 8-K dated January 19, 1996,
          May 22, 1996, May 28, 1996 and September 30, 1996;

     (e)  The Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K, as amended by the
          Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K/A, dated April 1, 1996; and

     (f)  The description of the Registrant's Common Stock set forth in the 
          Form 8-B Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on 
          May 5, 1987.

     All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the "Exchange Act"), prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which
indicates that all securities offered hereunder have been sold or which
deregisters all of the securities offered then remaining unsold, shall be deemed
to be incorporated herein by reference and to be a part hereof from the date of
filing of such documents.  Any statement contained in a document incorporated or
deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be modified or superseded,
for purposes of this Registration Statement, to the extent that a statement
contained herein or in any subsequently filed document which is deemed to be
incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement.  Any
statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as modified or
superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

ITEM 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

     Not applicable.

ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

     Not applicable.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

     Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law confers broad powers
upon corporations incorporated in that State with respect to indemnification of
any person against liabilities incurred by reason of the fact that such person
is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or
was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee
or agent of another corporation or other business entity.  The provisions of
Section 145 are not exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking
indemnification may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement or otherwise.

     The Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant contains a provision
that eliminates the personal liability of the Registrant's directors to the
Registrant or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty
to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law.

     There is in effect for the Registrant a dual phase insurance policy
providing directors and officers with indemnification, subject to certain
exclusions and to the extent not otherwise indemnified by the Registrant,
against loss (including expenses incurred in the defense of actions, suits or
proceedings in connection
therewith) arising from any negligent act, error, omission or breach of duty
while acting in their capacity as directors and officers of the Registrant.  The
policy also reimburses the Registrant for liability incurred in the
indemnification of its directors and officers.

     There is also in effect a Bylaw provision entitling officers and directors
to be indemnified by the Registrant against costs or expenses, attorneys' fees,
judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement that are actually and reasonably
incurred in connection with any action, suit or proceeding, including actions
brought by or in the right of the Registrant, to which such persons are made or
threatened to be made a party, by reason of their being a director or officer.
Such right, however, may be made only as authorized by (i) a majority vote of a
quorum of disinterested directors, or (ii) if such quorum is not obtainable or,
if obtainable, a majority thereof so directs, by independent legal counsel, or
(iii) by the stockholders of the Registrant, upon a determination that the
person seeking indemnification acted in good faith and in the manner that he or
she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the Registrant's best
interest, or, if the action is criminal in nature, upon a determination that the
person seeking indemnification had no reasonable cause to believe that such
person's conduct was unlawful.  This provision also requires the Registrant,
upon authorization by the Board of Directors, to advance costs and expenses,
including attorneys' fees, reasonably incurred in defending such actions;
provided, that any person seeking such an advance first provide the Registrant
with an undertaking to repay any amount as to which it may be determined such
person is not entitled.

ITEM 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

     Not applicable.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS

     *4(a)(1)  Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant (Exhibit 4(a)(1)
               to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
               year ended December 31, 1991.)

     *4(a)(2)  Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation of the
               Registrant.  (Exhibit 4(a)(1) to Registration Statement No.  33-
               16990, filed September 3, 1987.)

     *4(a)(3)  Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation of the
               Registrant.  (Exhibit 4(a)(5) to Registration Statement No. 33-
               50260, filed July 31, 1992.)

     *4(a)(4)  Certificate of Designation of the Preference Stock (Cumulative),
               $2.05 Series.  (Exhibit 3(a)(4) to the Registrant's Annual Report
               on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1991.)

     *4(b)     Bylaws of the Registrant, as amended.  (Exhibit 3 to the
               Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
               March 31, 1995.)

     *4(c)     Twentieth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of May 26, 1989,
               Supplement to Indenture of Mortgage and Deed of Trust, dated July
               1, 1951.  (Exhibit 4(d) to Registration Statement No. 33-45382,
               filed January 30, 1992.)

     *4(d)(1)  Indenture, dated as of November 1, 1990, between the Registrant
               and The First National Bank of Chicago, Trustee.  (Exhibit 4(a)
               to the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated November
               30, 1990.)

     *4(d)(2)  First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 27, 1990
               (Exhibit 4(b) to the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K,
               dated November 30, 1990.)

     *4(d)(3)  Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 15, 1991.
               (Exhibit 4(a) to the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K,
               dated December 19, 1991.)

     *4(d)(4)  Third Supplemental Indenture, dated as of January 15, 1992.
               (Exhibit 4(c)(4) to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K
               for the year ended December 31, 1991.)

     *4(d)(5)  Fourth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of February 24, 1993.
               (Exhibit 4(c)(5) to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K
               for the year ended December 31, 1992.)
*4(d)(6)  Fifth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of April 1, 1993.
               (Exhibit 4(c)(6) to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K
               for the year ended December 31, 1993.)

     *4(d)(7)  Sixth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 1, 1994.
               (Exhibit 4(d)(7) to Registration Statement No. 33-57167, filed
               January 4, 1995.)

     *4(d)(8)  Seventh Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June 1, 1995.
               (Exhibit 4 to the Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
               the period ended June 30, 1995.)

     *4(d)(9)  Eighth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 1, 1996.
               (Exhibit 4(d)(9) to Registration Statement No. 333-14869 filed
               October 25, 1996.)

               Long-term instruments of the Registrant in amounts not exceeding
               10 percent of the total assets of the Registrant and its
               subsidiaries on a consolidated basis will be furnished to the
               Commission upon request.

     5         Opinion of Blackwell Sanders Matheny Weary & Lombardi L.C.

     23(a)     Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP, Kansas City, Missouri

     23(b)     Consent of Arthur Andersen, Melbourne, Australia

     23(c)     Consent of Blackwell Sanders Matheny Weary & Lombardi L.C.
               (included in opinion filed as Exhibit 5).

     24        Powers of Attorney executed by certain officers and members of
               the Board of Directors of the Registrant.

------------
*Exhibits marked with an asterisk are incorporated by reference as indicated
pursuant to Rule 411(c).

ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKING

RULE 415 OFFERING.

     The Registrant hereby undertakes:

     (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a
post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

          (i)  To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the
     Securities Act of 1933 (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;

          (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) and (ii) do not apply if the
     information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
     paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the Registrant
     pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are
     incorporated by reference in this 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 therein, 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.

INCORPORATION OF SUBSEQUENT EXCHANGE ACT DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

     The 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 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.

FORM S-8 REGISTRATION STATEMENT.

     Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is
against public policy as expressed in the Securities 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 Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its 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 Securities Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.
SIGNATURES

     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-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Kansas City, State of Missouri, on the 13th day of
January, 1997.

                                        UTILICORP UNITED INC.

                                   By:     /s/ Dale J. Wolf
                                       ------------------------------------
                                             Dale J. Wolf
                                             Vice President-Finance, Treasurer
                                             and Corporate Secretary

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities indicated on the 13th day of January, 1997.

      Signature                               Title
      ---------                               -----
Richard C. Green. Jr.        Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
--------------------------   (Principal Executive Officer)
Richard C. Green, Jr.

Terry G. Westbrook           Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
--------------------------   (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)
Terry G. Westbrook

Richard C. Green, Jr.        )
Don R. Armacost              )
John R. Baker                )
Herman Cain                  )
Robert K. Green              )     The Board of Directors
Irving O. Hockaday, Jr.      )
Stanley O. Ikenberry, Ph.D.  )
Robert F. Jackson, Jr.       )
L. Patton Kline              )
Avis G. Tucker               )

                             As attorney-in-fact for the above-named
By:    /s/Dale J. Wolf       officers and directors pursuant to powers
     ----------------------  of attorney duly executed by such
            Dale J. Wolf     persons