Great Plains Energy (NYSE: GXP) and KCP&L announced today that Thomas (Tom) Hyde, recently retired as the executive vice president, Legal, Ethics and corporate secretary at Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., has been appointed to the board of directors of Great Plains Energy.

"We are very pleased to announce Tom's appointment to our board of directors," said Mike Chesser, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Tom brings exceptional experience in leading one of the world's foremost retail companies. He will bring a wealth of knowledge and valuable perspective to our board. We are proud to welcome Tom to the Great Plains Energy and KCP&L family."

Prior to joining Wal-Mart, Hyde served as senior vice president and general counsel of Raytheon Company. At Raytheon since 1992, Tom was responsible for the legal, corporate secretarial, ethics, export control, real estate, insurance, environment, and health and safety areas. Hyde has also served in a number of key legal, financial, and general management positions for several companies including Denver-based Manville Corporation, a building products manufacturer, and St. Louis-based Emerson Electric, a diversified manufacturing company.

"I am excited and honored to join the Board of Directors of my hometown utility company," remarked Hyde. "I look forward to working with Mike Chesser and the rest of the Board on continuing to provide long-term earnings growth for shareholders and affordable, reliable energy for our customers."

A native of Kansas City, Tom graduated from the University of Kansas in 1970 with an English degree. He received his law degree from the University of Missouri - Kansas City in 1975 and earned a master of business administration in finance from the University of Kansas in 1981. He is a member of the board of directors for Vail Resorts, Inc., and was a member of the board of trustees of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform and the National Urban League.

About The Companies:

Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., Great Plains Energy Incorporated (NYSE: GXP) is the holding company of Kansas City Power & Light Company and KCP&L Greater Missouri Operations Company, two of the leading regulated providers of electricity in the Midwest. Kansas City Power & Light Company and KCP&L Greater Missouri Operations Company use KCP&L as a brand name. More information about the companies is available on the Internet at: www.greatplainsenergy.com or www.kcpl.com.

Forward-Looking Statements:

Statements made in this release that are not based on historical facts are forward-looking, may involve risks and uncertainties, and are intended to be as of the date when made. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the outcome of regulatory proceedings, cost estimates of capital projects and other matters affecting future operations. In connection with the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Great Plains Energy and KCP&L are providing a number of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the provided forward-looking information. These important factors include: future economic conditions in regional, national and international markets and their effects on sales, prices and costs, including but not limited to possible further deterioration in economic conditions and the timing and extent of any economic recovery; prices and availability of electricity in regional and national wholesale markets; market perception of the energy industry, Great Plains Energy and KCP&L changes in business strategy, operations or development plans; effects of current or proposed state and federal legislative and regulatory actions or developments, including, but not limited to, deregulation, re-regulation and restructuring of the electric utility industry; decisions of regulators regarding rates the Companies can charge for electricity; adverse changes in applicable laws, regulations, rules, principles or practices governing tax, accounting and environmental matters including, but not limited to, air and water quality; financial market conditions and performance including, but not limited to, changes in interest rates and credit spreads and in availability and cost of capital and the effects on nuclear decommissioning trust and pension plan assets and costs; impairments of long-lived assets or goodwill; credit ratings; inflation rates; effectiveness of risk management policies and procedures and the ability of counterparties to satisfy their contractual commitments; impact of terrorist acts; ability to carry out marketing and sales plans; weather conditions including, but not limited to, weather-related damage and their effects on sales, prices and costs; cost, availability, quality and deliverability of fuel; the inherent uncertainties in estimating the effects of weather, economic conditions and other factors on customer consumption and financial results; ability to achieve generation goals and the occurrence and duration of planned and unplanned generation outages; delays in the anticipated in-service dates and cost increases of generation, transmission, distribution or other projects; the inherent risks associated with the ownership and operation of a nuclear facility including, but not limited to, environmental, health, safety, regulatory and financial risks; workforce risks, including, but not limited to, increased costs of retirement, health care and other benefits; and other risks and uncertainties.

This list of factors is not all-inclusive because it is not possible to predict all factors. Other risk factors are detailed from time to time in Great Plains Energy's and KCP&L's quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the particular statement. Great Plains Energy and KCP&L undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Great Plains Energy
Media:
Katie McDonald, 816-556-2365
Director, Corporate & Customer Communications
katie.mcdonald@kcpl.com
or
Investors:
Tony Carreño, 816-654-1763
Director, Investor Relations
anthony.carreno@kcpl.com