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):  April 23, 1998


	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 April 23, 1998, announcing the Company's earnings for the first 
quarter of 1998 and for the twelve month period ended March 31, 1998.



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 		
Name:	R. B. Fancher
Title:	Vice President - Finance

Dated:  April 23, 1998



Exhibit Index


Exhibit      
Number          Description

99              Press Release dated April 23, 1998, announcing 
                the Company's earnings for the first quarter 
                of 1998 and for the twelve month period ended 
                March 31, 1998.

EX-99

THE  EMPIRE  DISTRICT  ELECTRIC COMPANY  602  JOPLIN  STREET   JOPLIN, 
MISSOURI			 64802				 417-625-5100	 FAX:	 417-625-
5169
www.empiredistrict.com
PRESS RELEASE
														For Immediate Release
 Contact:
			MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS:	     INVESTOR RELATIONS:
				   		Amy Bas			             Janet S. Watson
  	Director of Corporate     Secretary - Treasurer
      Communications        417 625-5100, Ext. 223
			417 625-5100, Ext. 302	  

             							THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY
                DECLARATION OF DIVIDENDS AND EARNINGS REPORT
                 STOCKHOLDERS MEETING, ELECTION OF OFFICERS
JOPLIN, MO, April 23, 1998--(NYSE:EDE)  At the annual meeting of stockholders 
of The Empire District Electric Company held today, V.E. Brill, R.C. Hartley 
and F.E. Jeffries were elected to three-year terms as Directors of the 
Company.
		At the Board of Directors meeting, the Directors declared a quarterly 
dividend of 32 cents per share on Common Stock payable June 15, 1998, to 
holders of record as of June 1, 1998.  The Board also declared regular 
quarterly dividends payable June 1, 1998, on the 43/4%, 5%, and 8-1/8% 
cumulative Preferred Stock to holders of record as of May 15, 1998.
		The Company reported earnings of $1.29 per share of common stock for the 
twelve months ended March 31, 1998, on revenues of $219,394,000 and net income 
of $24,009,000.  Earnings for the twelve months ended March 31, 1997, were 
$1.17 per share on revenues of $205,649,000 and net income of $21,527,000.
		Earnings for the first quarter of 1998 were $0.16 per share on revenues 
of $51,388,000 and net income of $3,340,000.  Earnings for the same period in 
1997 were $0.15 per share on revenues of $47,305,000 and net income of 
$3,125,000.  Earnings for the first quarter of 1998 reflect rate increases 
granted by the Missouri Public Service Commission which went into effect on 
July 28, 1997 and September 19, 1997 and were also impacted by unusually mild 
weather and rescheduled planned maintenance.
		The Board of Directors also re-elected all officers of the Corporation 
to their current positions:  Myron W. McKinney, President and Chief Executive 
Officer; Virgil E. Brill, Vice President-Energy Supply; Robert B. Fancher, 
Vice President-Finance and Principal Financial Officer; William L. Gipson, 
Vice President-Commercial Operations; Clifford A. (Tony) Stark, Vice 
President-General Services; Janet S. Watson, Secretary-Treasurer; David W. 
Gibson, Director of Financial Services and Assistant Secretary; and Gregory A. 
Knapp, Controller, Assistant Treasurer and Principal Accounting Officer.


THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
                      Quarter Ended March 31        Twelve Months Ended March 31
          					         1998	      1997                   1998        1997
                                                        
Operating Revenues   $51,388,000 $47,305,000          $219,394,000  $205,649,000
Net Income			         $3,340,000  $3,125,000           $24,009,000   $21,527,000
Net Income Applicable							   
to Common Stock			    $2,736,000  $2,521,000           $21,592,000   $19,111,000
Weighted Average									   
Common Shares				 
Outstanding           16,794,641  16,457,197            16,682,474    16,318,551
Basic and Diluted								   
Earnings per	                           
Weighted Average	
Share of Common
Stock                      $0.16       $0.15                 $1.29         $1.17

	Empire supplies electric service to a 10,000 square-mile area in southwest 
Missouri, southeast Kansas, northeast Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas.  The 
Company also provides water service in three incorporated communities in 
Missouri.