8-K

               SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                     Washington, D.C.  20549

                            FORM 8-K

                         CURRENT REPORT

             Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                 Securities Exchange Act of 1934


Date  of  Report (Date of earliest event reported):  December  7, 2000


              THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY
       (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

                             Kansas
         (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

       1-3368                              44-0236370
(Commission File Number)               (IRS Employer Identification Number)


602 Joplin Street, Joplin, Missouri                         64801
(Address of principal executive offices)                  (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (417) 625-5100


                         Not applicable
 (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Item 5  Other Events

         Attached hereto as Exhibit 99 is a press release  issued
by  the Company on December 7, 2000 concerning an order from  the
Administrative   Law  Judge  of  the  Arkansas   Public   Service
Commission  relating to Empire's proposed merger  with  UtiliCorp
United Inc.



                            SIGNATURE


      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act
of  1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed
on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                              THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY


                              By       /s/ R. B. Fancher
                                Name:   R. B. Fancher
                                Title:  Vice President - Finance

Dated:  December 7, 2000


                          Exhibit Index


Exhibit
 Number             Description

   99               Press  Release dated December 7,  2000
                    concerning   an   order    from    the
                    Administrative  Law   Judge   of   the
                    Arkansas   Public  Service  Commission
                    relating  to Empire's proposed  merger
                    with UtiliCorp United Inc.

EX-99

                              -1-


JOPLIN, MO, December 7, 2000 - (NYSE:EDE)  On Monday, December
4, 2000, The Empire District Electric Company received an order
from the Administrative Law Judge ("ALJ") of the Arkansas
Public Service Commission relating to Empire's proposed merger
with UtiliCorp United Inc.  The ALJ ruled that Empire and
UtiliCorp's proposed regulatory plan should not be approved.
In addition, the ALJ stated that he was unable to separate the
application for approval of the merger and the proposed
regulatory plan and he therefore could not conclude that the
merger was consistent with the public interest, the standard
for merger approval in Arkansas.  Empire and UtiliCorp jointly
plan to file an objection to the ALJ's decision.

The consummation of the merger is conditioned upon the receipt
of all required regulatory approvals, including the approval of
the Arkansas Public Service Commission and the public utility
regulatory commissions in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma, which
are also pending,  and upon such approvals becoming final
orders. All other regulatory approvals have been obtained and
have become final orders.  The merger agreement provides that
either Empire or UtiliCorp may (but is not required to)
terminate the merger agreement if the Effective Time of the
merger has not occurred by December 31, 2000.  It is no longer
possible for all of the required regulatory approvals to be
obtained and become final orders by December 31, 2000, and as a
result it is no longer possible for the Effective Time of the
merger to occur by that date.