- Westar Energy
Infobox Company
company_name = Westar Energy Inc
company_
company_type = Investor Owned Utility
foundation = 1910
location =Topeka, Kansas ,
key_people = William Moore
industry =Electric Utility
area_served = Eastern 1/3rd of Kansas
674,000 customers
products =Electricity generation ,transmission anddistribution ,
number_employees = 2,200
parent =
subsid =
homepage = [http://www.westarenergy.com WestarEnergy.com]
footnotes =Westar Energy (NYSE|WR) is an investor owned
electric utility headquartered inTopeka, Kansas . Westar is the largest electric company inKansas , serving 674,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in the eastern third of the state. Westar Energy generates more than 27,000,000megawatt-hours ofelectricity per year at its 12power plants . Westar Energy service territory covers 10,130 square miles in east and east-centralKansas . Westar Energy owns more than 33,000 miles oftransmission lines .History
In 1909, The American Power & Light Company organized Kansas Gas and Electric Company to operate utilities in Wichita, Pittsburg and Frontenac. KG&E grew rapidly. At the end of 1910, it served three communities and 5,525 customers. By 1925, service extended to 50 communities and 48,773 customers. At one time, KG&E also provided
natural gas to Hutchinson, Newton, Pittsburg and Wichita.With financial backing from Illinois Power and Light Corporation, The Kansas Power and Light Company was founded in 1924 in Tecumseh.
Transmission line s ran to Topeka and Atchison. The company immediately began acquiring customers and the assets of areaelectric and natural gas utilities. In 1983, KPL acquired The Gas Service Company and rights to serve its one million natural gas customers inKansas ,Missouri ,Nebraska andOklahoma .In 1992, KPL merged with KG&E to become Western Resources. It served 560,000 electric customers and 1.06 million natural gas customers in three states. In 1996, an agreement gave
Tulsa , Okla.-basedONEOK , Inc. ownership of Western Resources’ natural gas business. In return, Western Resources received approximately 45 percent ownership inONEOK . This investment was sold in 2002 and 2003 as part of the company's renewed focus on being a pure electric utility.In 2002, Western Resources shareholders approved changing the company’s name to Westar Energy.
Company timeline
1910 - KG&E authorized to begin operation.
1922 - Kansas Electric Power Co. is incorporated.
1924 - Kansas Power and Light Co. is incorporated. Neosho Plant is built.
1935 - United Power and Light merges with KPL.
1943 - KPL acquires Kansas Electric Power Company.
1955 - KG&E common stock listed on theNew York Stock Exchange .
1967 - KG&E requests water rights at John Redmond Reservoir for anuclear plant .
1973 - LaCygne Energy Center goes on line.
1978 -Jeffrey Energy Center begins commercial operation.
1985 -Wolf Creek Nuclear Generating Station begins commercial operation Sept. 3.
1992 - KPL and KG&E merger completed. Western Resources introduced.
1999 - Westar Wind becomes the first commercially operatedwind turbine project inKansas .
2002 - Westar Energy is introduced. The KPL, KGE and Western Resources names are retired.Generation portfolio
*Abilene Energy Center -
Abilene, Kansas
*Gordon Evans Energy Center -Colwich, Kansas
*Hutchinson Energy Center -Hutchinson, Kansas
*Jeffrey Energy Center -St. Marys, Kansas
*La Cygne Energy Center -La Cygne, Kansas
*Lawrence Energy Center -Lawrence, Kansas
*Murray Gill Energy Center -Wichita, Kansas
*Neosho Energy Center - Neosho,Kansas
*Spring Creek Energy Center -Logan County, Oklahoma
*State Line Combined Cycle Plant -Joplin, Missouri
*Tecumseh Energy Center -Tecumseh, Kansas
*Wolf Creek Nuclear Generating Station -Burlington, Kansas Latest news
*"September 2006" - Westar announces plans to build new 345 KV
transmission line fromWichita toHutchinson toSalina
*"October 2006" - Westar Energy partners with Apogee Interactive to provide energy calculators on Website.
*"March 2007" - Westar Energy breaks ground on Emporia Energy Center. A natural gas-fired peaking plant.
*"April 2007" - CEO Jim Haines announces retirement and successor William Moore.
*"August 2007" - Westar announces plans to spend $465 million to upgrade environmental controls andJeffrey Energy Center .
*"October 2007" - Westar Energy launches Kansas' largestwind energy program.
*"December 2007" - Ice Storm becomes largest in Westar history and estimated costs at $73 - $85 million.External links
* [http://www.WestarEnergy.com Westar Energy]
* [http://www.westarenergy.com/corp_com/contentmgt.nsf/publishedpages/company%20history Company History]
* [http://www.westarenergy.com/corp_com/corpcomm.nsf/NewsReleaseContentWeb Latest News]
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