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               SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                     WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                
                         SCHEDULE 14D-1
                                
                                
                       (Amendment No. 48)
                                
                                
                     Tender Offer Statement
(Pursuant to Section 14(d)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934)
                                
                                
               Kansas City Power & Light Company 
                   (Name of Subject Company)
                                
                    Western Resources, Inc.
                            (Bidder)
                                
                Common Stock, Without Par Value
                 (Title of Class of Securities)
                                
                            48513410
             (CUSIP Number of Class of Securities)
                                
                       John K. Rosenberg
          Executive Vice President and General Counsel
                    Western Resources, Inc.
                       818 Kansas Avenue
                      Topeka, Kansas 66612
                     Phone:  (913) 575-6300
                                
       (Name, Address, including Zip Code, and Telephone
       Number, including Area Code, of Agent for Service)
                                
                                
                                
                           Copies to:
                                
                        Neil T. Anderson
                      Sullivan & Cromwell
                        125 Broad Street
                    New York, New York 10004
                         (212) 558-4000
                                
                        William S. Lamb
             LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae, L.L.P.
                      125 West 55th Street
                    New York, New York 10019
                         (212) 424-8000
                                
                                
                                
This Amendment No.48 amends and supplements the Tender Offer Statement on
Schedule 14D-1 (the "Schedule 14D-1"), originally filed by Western Resources,
Inc., a Kansas corporation ("Western Resources"), on July 8, 1996 relating to
the exchange offer disclosed therein to exchange all of the outstanding Shares
for shares of Western Resources Common Stock upon the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth in the Prospectus, dated July 3, 1996, and the related
Letter of Transmittal.  Capitalized terms used and not defined herein shall
have the meanings set forth in the Schedule 14D-1.


Item 11.  Material to be Filed as Exhibits.

     Item 11 is hereby amended and supplemented by adding thereto the
following:

(a)(128)  News release issued on October 27, 1996.
(a)(129)  Employee update issued on October 27, 1996.

                            SIGNATURE

     After due inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify
that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.


                                        WESTERN RESOURCES, INC.

Date     October 28, 1996                    By   /s/ JERRY D. COURINGTON  
                                                Jerry D. Courington,
                                                Controller


                        INDEX TO EXHIBITS


                                                                  Sequentially
                                                                    Numbered
Exhibit No.                     Description                           Pages   

(a)(128)            News release issued on October 27, 1996         1
(a)(129)            Employee update issued on October 27, 1996      1

                                             Exhibit No. (a)(128)

The following news release was issued on October 27, 1996:


                        WESTERN RESOURCES RECEIVES
                   44 PERCENT OF KCPL SHARES TENDERED
     
        EXPIRATION EXTENDED TO NOVEMBER 15 AS TENDER OFFER GAINS SPEED
     
        TOPEKA, Kansas, October 27, 1996 (1:30 p.m. CST) -- Western 
     Resources officials today said the results of their exchange offer, 
     which was scheduled to expire at 5 p.m. EDT Friday, exceeded their 
     expectations.
        "Recognizing this huge response, we have extended the expiration 
     date of our exchange offer to 5 p.m. EST November 15, 1996," said John 
     E. Hayes, Jr., Western Resources chairman of the board and chief 
     executive officer. "It would be our hope that Kansas City Power & 
     Light's (KCPL) board would meet with us to bring about a friendly 
     merger during the next three weeks as we continue to gain support for 
     our tender offer."
        According to Western Resources, KCPL shareowners, by tendering more 
     than 27.1 million or 44 percent of KCPL outstanding shares, have sent 
     a powerful message to KCPL's executives and board members in support 
     of a Western Resources merger and the value it provides.
        "With only seven weeks of active tender solicitation, we would have 
     been pleased with shares tendered in the 35 percent range," said John 
     E. Hayes, Jr., Western Resources chairman of the board and chief 
     executive officer. "Clearly, 44 percent of the total shares 
     outstanding is a strong endorsement 

p. 2 - MOMENTUM BUILDS
     from KCPL shareowners, and gives us tremendous momentum as we head 
     toward completing the merger.      
        Western Resources said it remains hopeful a friendly merger 
     agreement with the KCPL board can be reached. However, based on the 
     83.4 percent quorum at KCPL's recent annual shareowner meeting, 44 
     percent of KCPL shares could elect a majority of the board of 
     directors next spring, which could then effect a friendly merger. 
        "There has been more support given to us by KCPL shareowners in the 
     seven weeks we've focused on the exchange offer than the UtiliCorp 
     proposal received in the seven months it was before KCPL shareowners," 
     said Hayes.        
        Hayes said KCPL shareowners have expressed surprise and 
     disappointment regarding KCPL management's refusal to talk with 
     Western Resources about a merger.
        "Shareowners have told us repeatedly they want this merger," said 
     Hayes. "It is our hope that 44 percent of the company's shares, 
     speaking with one strong voice, will be the catalyst needed to bring 
     KCPL's board to the table.  We remain ready to begin discussions 
     immediately."
        Hayes said Western Resources is committed to seeing this merger 
     through to a successful completion. Harris Trust, Western Resources' 
     exchange agent, will continue to act as a "safe deposit box" for KCPL 
     tendered shares until all conditions to the offer have been satisfied 
     or waived. Until the transaction closes, which is expected in the 
     second half of 1997, KCPL shareowners will continue to own their 
     tendered shares, retaining all voting rights and receiving their KCPL 
     dividends. 


        Western Resources (NYSE: WR) is a full-service, diversified energy 
     company with total assets of more than $6 billion. 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 unregulated subsidiaries, 
     Westar Energy, Westar Security, Westar Capital, and The Wing Group, a 
     full range of energy and 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.

                                                   Exhibit No. (a)(129)

The following employee update was issued on October 27, 1996:

October 27, 1996
     
     
     WESTERN RESOURCES RECEIVES 44 PERCENT OF KCPL SHARES TENDERED; 
     EXPIRATION EXTENDED TO NOVEMBER 15 AS TENDER OFFER GAINS SPEED
     
          Western Resources officials today said the results of their 
     exchange offer, which was scheduled to expire at 5 p.m. EDT 
     Friday, exceeded their expectations.
          "Recognizing this huge response, we have extended the 
     expiration date of our exchange offer to 5 p.m. EST November 15, 
     1996," said John E. Hayes, Jr., Western Resources chairman of the 
     board and chief executive officer. "It would be our hope that 
     Kansas City Power & Light's (KCPL) board would meet with us to 
     bring about a friendly merger during the next three weeks as we 
     continue to gain support for our tender offer."
          According to Western Resources, KCPL shareowners, by 
     tendering more than 27.1 million or 44 percent of KCPL 
     outstanding shares, have sent a powerful message to KCPL's 
     executives and board members in support of a Western Resources 
     merger and the value it provides.
          "With only seven weeks of active tender solicitation, we 
     would have been pleased with shares tendered in the 35 percent 
     range," said John E. Hayes, Jr., Western Resources chairman of 
     the board and chief executive officer. "Clearly, 44 percent of 
     the total shares outstanding is a strong endorsement from KCPL 
     shareowners, and gives us tremendous momentum as we head toward 
     completing the merger."
          Western Resources said it remains hopeful a friendly merger 
     agreement with the KCPL board can be reached. However, based on 
     the 83.4 percent quorum at KCPL's recent annual shareowner 
     meeting, 44 percent of KCPL shares could elect a majority of the 
     board of directors next spring, which could then effect a 
     friendly merger. 
          "There has been more support given to us by KCPL shareowners 
     in the seven weeks we've focused on the exchange offer than the 
     UtiliCorp proposal received in the seven months it was before 
     KCPL shareowners," said Hayes.     
          Hayes said KCPL shareowners have expressed surprise and 
     disappointment regarding KCPL management's refusal to talk with 
     Western Resources about a merger.
          "Shareowners have told us repeatedly they want this merger," 
     said Hayes. "It is our hope that 44 percent of the company's 
     shares, speaking with one strong voice, will be the catalyst 
     needed to bring KCPL's board to the table.  We remain ready to 
     begin discussions immediately."
          Hayes said Western Resources is committed to seeing this 
     merger through to a successful completion. Harris Trust, Western 
     Resources' exchange agent, will continue to act as a "safe deposit 
     box" for KCPL tendered shares until all conditions to the offer 
     have been satisfied or waived. Until the transaction closes, which 
     is expected in the second half of 1997, KCPL shareowners will 
     continue to own their tendered shares, retaining all voting rights 
     and receiving their KCPL dividends.

     This employee update 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.