POWER OF ATTORNEY



For Executing Forms 3, 4, and 5



Know all by these presents that the undersigned hereby constitutes

and appoints each of Janet S. Watson and Gregory A. Knapp,

signing singly, his/her true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:



 (1) execute for and on behalf of the undersigned Forms 3,

4 and 5 in accordance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange

Act of 1934 and the rules thereunder;



 (2) do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the

undersigned which may be necessary or desirable to complete the

execution of any such Form 3, 4 or 5 and the filing of such form

with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, the

New York Stock Exchange and any other authority; and



 (3) take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection

with the foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact,

may be of benefit to, in the best interest of, or legally required

by, the undersigned, it being understood that the documents executed

by such attorney-in-fact on behalf of



the undersigned pursuant to this Power of Attorney shall be in such

form and shall contain such terms and conditions as such attorney-in-

fact may approve in his/her discretion.



The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full

power and authority to do and perform all and every act and thing

whatsoever requisite, necessary and proper to be done in the

exercise of any of the rights and powers herein granted, as fully

to all intents and purposes as such attorney-in-fact might or

could do if personally present, with full power of substitution or

revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such

attorney-in-fact, or his/her substitute or substitutes, shall

lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this Power of

Attorney and the rights and powers herein granted.  The

undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact,

in serving in such capacity at the request of the undersigned,

are not assuming any of the undersigned?s responsibilities to

comply with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.



This Power of Attorney shall expire when I am no longer an

officer or director of The Empire District Electric Company.



IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power

of Attorney to be executed as of this 30th day of June 2005.



Signature



Laurie A. Delano



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