Westar Energy Declares Dividend.

Business Editors

TOPEKA, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 28, 2004

The Westar Energy, Inc. (NYSE:WR) Board of Directors today declared a second-quarter dividend of 19 cents per share payable July 1, 2004, on the company's common stock.

The board also declared regular quarterly dividends on the company's 4.25 percent, 4.5 percent and 5 percent series preferred stocks payable July 1, 2004.

The dividends are payable to shareholders of record as of June 9, 2004.

Westar Energy, Inc. (NYSE:WR) is the largest electric utility in Kansas, providing electric service to more than 640,000 customers in the state. Westar Energy has nearly 6,000 megawatts of electric generation capacity and operates and coordinates more than 34,800 miles of electric distribution and transmission lines.

For more information about Westar Energy, visit us on the Internet at http://www.wr.com.