8-K

UNITED STATES

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: February 3, 2011

(Date of earliest event reported)

THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

KS	1-3368	44-0236370
(State or other jurisdiction	(Commission File	(IRS Employer
of incorporation)	Number)	Identification Number)
602 S. Joplin Avenue, Joplin, Missouri		64801
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip Code)

(417) 625-5100

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

Not applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition

On February 3, 2011, The Empire District Electric Company (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing the Company’s earnings for the fourth quarter of 2010 and for the twelve month period ended December 31, 2010. Furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1 is a copy of the press release, which is incorporated by reference herein.

The information in this Item 2.02, including Exhibit 99.1 hereto, shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section or Sections 11 and 12(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers

On February 3, 2011, the Company announced that William L. Gipson will retire on May 31, 2011 as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Effective February 4, 2011, Bradley P. Beecher, who was previously Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer - Electric, will be appointed Executive Vice President. Effective June 1, 2011, Mr. Beecher will become President and Chief Executive Officer. Effective Febru ary 4, 2011, Kelly S. Walters will replace Mr. Beecher as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer – Electric.

Additional information about Mr. Beecher’s and Ms. Walter’s background and experience is contained in the Company’s press release filed as Exhibit 99.2 to this Report, which is incorporated by reference herein.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(a) Financial Statements of businesses acquired:

None

(b) Pro forma financial information:

None

(c) Shell company transactions:

None

(d) Exhibits:

99.1 Press Release of THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY dated February 3, 2011 entitled “The Empire District Electric Company Earnings Report and Declaration of Dividends”.

99.2 Press Release of THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY dated February 3, 2011 entitled “The Empire District Electric Company Announces Management Changes”.

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/ Gregory A. Knapp
	Name: Gregory A. Knapp
	Title: Vice President – Finance and Chief
	Financial Officer

Dated: February 3, 2011

Exhibit Index

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Press Release of THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY dated February 3, 2011 entitled “The Empire District Electric Company Earnings Report and Declaration of Dividends”.
99.2	Press Release of THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY dated February 3, 2011 entitled “The Empire District Electric Company Announces Management Changes”.

EX-99.1

EXHIBIT 99.1

THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY

EARNINGS REPORT AND DECLARATION OF DIVIDENDS

JOPLIN, MO, February 3, 2011 — (NYSE:EDE) At the Board of Directors meeting of The Empire District Electric Company held today, the Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.32 per share on common stock payable March 15, 2011, to holders of record as of March 1, 2011.

The Company, an operator of regulated electric, gas and water utilities, announced today the results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2010.

Highlights

●  The Company reported consolidated earnings for the year ended December 31, 2010 of $47.4 million, or basic and diluted earnings per share of $1.17. This compares to 2009 earnings of $41.3 million, or $1.18 per share. Earnings for the 2010 fourth quarter were $8.5 million, or $0.20 per share, compared with 2009 fourth quarter earnings of $7.9 million, or $0.22 per share.  

●  The electric segment fuel margin (revenues less fuel and purchased power) improved during the fourth quarter by approximately $12.3 million as rate increases began to take effect. A Kansas rate case effective in July and a Missouri case effective in September were the primary drivers of an increase in revenues. Rate cases are pending in Arkansas and Missouri with additional electric rate cases expected to be filed during 2011 for Kansas and Oklahoma.

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THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY SEGMENT FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (in 000’s except per share information, certain segment amounts exclude eliminations )
	Year Ended December 31, 2010
	Electric		Gas		Other		Consolidated
Revenues	$	484,715	$	50,885	$	6,268	$	541,276
Fuel, Purchased Power, and Cost of Natural Gas Sold and Transported		199,299		26,614		––		225,913
Other Operating Expenses		212,888		17,944		4,628		234,868
Operating Income		72,528		6,327		1,640		80,495
Net Income	$	43,187	$	2,602	$	1,607	$	47,396
Earnings Per Weighted-Average Share, Basic and Diluted							$	1.17

	Year Ended December 31, 2009
	Electric		Gas		Other		Consolidated
Revenues	$	434,897	$	57,314	$	5,562	$	497,168
Fuel, Purchased Power, and Cost of Natural Gas Sold and Transported		182,028		35,602		––		217,630
Other Operating Expenses		184,455		17,078		4,115
Operating Income		68,414		4,634		1,447		74,495
Net Income	$	39,078	$	874	$	1,344	$	41,296
Earnings Per Weighted-Average Share, Basic and Diluted							$	1.18

2010 Electric Results

Electric segment revenues for the year ended December 31, 2010 increased $49.8 million compared to 2009. The Company estimates the impact of 2010 weather increased revenues by approximately $24.1 million compared to 2009.  This was primarily driven by a warmer summer in 2010 as compared to the 2009 summer, which was one of the coolest on record. Increases related to customer rate revenues of approximately $14.0 million, and customer growth related revenues, estimated at $2.4 million, also added to electric revenues compared to 2009. Off-system sales further increased revenues approximately $8.5 million due to higher volumes, in part as a result of warmer summer weather in 2010.

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Electric fuel and purchased power expenses for 2010 increased $17.3 million compared to 2009. The increase was primarily a result of increased weather related sales. The Company experienced lower overall prices for natural gas when comparing 2010 to 2009, which was partially offset by an increase in purchased power prices. Average coal prices were relatively unchanged when comparing the two periods.  The effect of fuel adjustment mechanisms decreased the Company’s fuel expenses by approximately $1.7 million in 2010 compared to the adjustments recorded in 2009.

Other regulated operating expenses increased $7.0 million in 2010 compared to 2009. Approximately $1.6 million of the increase was due in part to transmission related costs associated with delivering power from the Plum Point facility. Healthcare and pensions costs were both higher by approximately $1.0 million compared to 2009. The Company also experienced an increase in customer service related costs, such as banking fees and uncollectible accounts, totaling approximately $1.8 million over the 2009 period. These increases were partially offset by $2.5 million of deferred costs associated with new plants in accordance with regulatory agreements, as compared to $0.6 million of these deferred costs in 2009. The deferrals will continue until the respective plants are reflected in Missouri and Kansas customers’ rates. Maintenance expe nses were higher by approximately $3.8 million in 2010 as compared to 2009.  This increase was primarily the result of increased costs associated with plant outages compared to 2009 and overhead line maintenance performed throughout the year.

Depreciation was higher for 2010 compared to 2009 by $5.9 million as a result of increased plant in service and regulatory amortization. A higher level of regulatory amortization was effective with the Company’s September 2010 Missouri rate increase. The increase was partially offset by deferred depreciation primarily related to Iatan 2 which will continue until the plant is reflected in Missouri customer rates. Other taxes related to property and local taxes increased in 2010 by approximately $2.0 million over 2009.

In summary, the electric net income improved in 2010 by $4.1 million over 2009.

2010 Gas Results

The gross margin for the Company’s gas segment (gas revenues less the cost of natural gas sold and transported) increased in 2010 by approximately $2.6 million compared to 2009. The increase is mostly a result of the gas rate increase effective in April 2010. Other operating and maintenance expenses decreased in total by $0.8 million for 2010 compared to 2009. Depreciation was higher by approximately $1.0 million and other taxes were lower by $0.3 million compared to 2009. The gas segment net income was higher by approximately $1.7 million for 2010 compared to 2009.

2010 Consolidated Results

The Company’s other income and deductions category reduced net income by approximately $2.0 million compared to 2009. Income related to the equity component of the Allowance for Funds Used During Construction (“AFUDC”) was lower and accounted for $1.7 million of the decrease as the Iatan 2 and Plum Point plants met in-service criteria during the 2010 third quarter.

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Total interest expense decreased approximately $2.1 million in 2010 compared to 2009. The Company refinanced approximately $150 million of debt during 2010 with lower interest rates resulting in approximately $2.3 million of net interest savings. Total interest expense was further reduced by approximately $1.9 million due to deferred carrying charges related to generation plants not yet reflected in Missouri customer rates, which is in accordance with the Company’s regulatory treatment. These reduced interest expenses were partially offset by a decrease of approximately $2.3 million related to the debt component of AFUDC.

The Company’s effective income tax rate increased sharply during 2010 primarily due to a $2.1 million one-time non-cash charge incurred when the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590) became law. This legislation included a provision that reduced the deductibility, for income tax purposes, of retiree healthcare costs to the extent an employer receives federal subsidies. Companies receive the subsidy when they provide retiree prescription benefits at least equivalent to Medicare Part D coverage in their postretirement healthcare plan. Also included in 2010 is a $1.2 million non-cash charge related to deferred taxes which are no longer expected to be recoverable from Missouri customers. Both of these items were discussed in depth in the Company’s 2010 first quarter 10-Q filing. As a result, the Company’s e ffective income tax rate for 2010 was approximately 39% compared to 33% in 2009. Excluding these non-cash charges, the effective tax rate in 2010 would have been approximately 35%.

THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY SEGMENT FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (in 000’s except per share information, certain segment amounts exclude eliminations )
	Quarter Ended December 31, 2010
	Electric		Gas		Other		Consolidated
Revenues	$	116,869	$	14,406	$	1,687	$	132,815
Fuel, Purchased Power, and Cost of Natural Gas Sold and Transported		47,074		7,685		––		54,759
Other Operating Expenses		53,967		4,729		1,242		59,791
Operating Income		15,828		1,992		445		18,265
Net Income	$	6,971	$	1,049	$	440	$	8,460
Earnings Per Weighted-Average Share, Basic and Diluted							$	0.20

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	Quarter Ended December 31, 2009
	Electric		Gas		Other		Consolidated
Revenues	$	103,066	$	16,513	$	1,439	$	120,870
Fuel, Purchased Power, and Cost of Natural Gas Sold and Transported		45,558		10,050		––		55,608
Other Operating Expenses		43,667		4,508		1,099		49,126
Operating Income		13,841		1,955		340		16,136
Net Income	$	6,687	$	908	$	332	$	7,927
Earnings Per Weighted-Average Share, Basic and Diluted							$	0.22

Fourth Quarter Electric Results

Electric segment revenues for the quarter ended December 31, 2010 increased $13.8 million compared to 2009. The most significant factor increasing revenues was customer rate increases, which added approximately $14.1 million compared to the 2009 period. Off-system sales revenues were also higher by about $1.5 million. Partially offsetting these increases was milder fourth quarter weather, which reduced revenues by an estimated $2.4 million.

Electric fuel and purchased power expenses for the 2010 quarter increased $1.5 million compared to the 2009 quarter. The Company experienced increased electric fuel costs compared to 2009 of about $2.0 million, which were offset by a $6.2 million reduction in purchased power costs. This was in part caused by replacing the purchased power contract in effect in the 2009 fourth quarter with the Iatan 2 and Plum Point plants now available in the Company’s generation fleet. The effect of fuel adjustment mechanisms increased the Company’s fuel expenses by approximately $5.7 million in the 2010 fourth quarter compared to the adjustments in 2009.

Other regulated operating expenses increased $2.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2010 compared to 2009 and maintenance expenses were higher by approximately $2.4 million. Similar to the annual results, the Company’s transmission costs, pension, health care and uncollectible customer accounts expenses were higher compared to 2009. The Company also deferred approximately $1.0 million of operating costs, mostly related to the Company’s Iatan 2 plant, in accordance with the Company’s regulatory agreements. Maintenance costs were higher in part due to plant outages compared to 2009, and maintenance of distribution lines was higher by approximately $1.2 million compared to 2009.

Depreciation increased by $3.8 million which was mostly attributable to an increase in the amount recorded for regulatory amortization. The Company deferred $0.9 million of depreciation related to the Company’s various plants during the 2010 fourth quarter compared to $0.3 million during the fourth quarter of 2009. Other taxes were higher by $0.9 million compared to the 2009 fourth quarter.

Electric segment net income was higher by $0.3 million during the 2010 fourth quarter compared to 2009.

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Fourth Quarter Gas Results

The gas segment gross margin increased by approximately $0.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2010 compared to 2009. The increased margin is largely a result of new customer rates implemented in April 2010. Gas operations and maintenance expenses were relatively flat for the 2010 fourth quarter compared to 2009. Depreciation was slightly higher by $0.3 million, while other taxes for the gas segment were relatively unchanged when comparing the two quarters. Overall, the quarterly 2010 gas segment net income was higher by $0.1 million compared to 2009.

Fourth Quarter Consolidated Results

The Company’s other income and deductions category reduced overall net income by approximately $1.9 million and was mostly attributable to a reduction in the equity component of AFUDC. Total interest expense decreased approximately $0.3 million in the 2010 fourth quarter compared to 2009. Long-term debt interest decreased by approximately $1.1 million compared to 2009.  Deferrals related to carrying charges further lowered interest expense by approximately $0.8 million during the 2010 quarter.   Debt AFUDC was lower by $1.7 million compared to the 2009 quarter, which partially offset these interest expense savings.

Reconciliation of Earnings Per Share

The following reconciliation of basic earnings per share compares the quarter and year ended December 31, 2010 versus December 31, 2009 and is a non-GAAP presentation. The economic substance behind our non-GAAP earnings per share (EPS) measure is to present the after tax impact of significant items and components of the statement of income on a per share basis before the impact of additional stock issuances. We believe this presentation is useful to investors because the statement of income does not readily show the EPS impact of the various components, including the effect of new stock issuances. This could limit the readers’ understanding of the reasons for the EPS change from previous years. This information is useful to management, and we believe this information is useful to investors, to better understand the reasons for the fluctuation in EPS between the prior and current years on a per share basis.

This reconciliation may not be comparable to other companies or more useful than the GAAP presentation included in the statements of income. We also note that this presentation does not purport to be an alternative to earnings per share determined in accordance with GAAP as a measure of operating performance or any other measure of financial performance presented in accordance with GAAP. Management compensates for the limitations of using non-GAAP financial measures by using them to supplement GAAP results to provide a more complete understanding of the factors and trends affecting the business than GAAP results alone. The dilutive effect of additional shares issued in this table reflects the impact of all shares issued in the respective periods presented.

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	Quarter Ended			Year Ended
Basic Earnings Per Share – December 31, 2009	$	0.22		$	1.18
Revenues
Electric segment		0.27			0.96
Gas segment		(0.04	)		(0.12	)
Other segment		0.00			0.01
Expenses
Electric fuel and purchased power		(0.03	)		(0.33	)
Cost of natural gas sold and transported		0.04			0.17
Operating – electric segment		(0.04	)		(0.14	)
Operating – gas segment		0.00			0.02
Maintenance and repairs		(0.05	)		(0.07	)
Depreciation and amortization		(0.08	)		(0.14	)
Change in effective income tax rates		(0.01	)		(0.15	)
Other taxes		(0.02	)		(0.03	)
Other income and deductions		0.00			(0.01	)
Interest charges		0.04			0.08
AFUDC		(0.07	)		(0.07	)
Dilutive effect of additional shares		(0.03	)		(0.19	)
Basic Earnings Per Share – December 31, 2010	$	0.20		$	1.17

Earnings Conference Call

Bill Gipson, President and CEO, will host a conference call Friday, February 4, 2011, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss earnings for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2010. To phone in to the conference call, parties in the United States should dial 1-877-941-1727, any time after 12:45 p.m. Eastern Time. The presentation can also be accessed from Empire’s website at www.empiredistrict.com. A replay of the call will be available for two weeks by dialing 1-800-406-7325 and entering passcode 4402866#. Forward-looking and other material information may be discussed during the conference call.

Based in Joplin, Missouri, The Empire District Electric Company (NYSE:EDE) is an investor-owned utility providing electric, natural gas (through its wholly owned subsidiary The Empire District Gas Company) and water service, with approximately 215,000 customers in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.  A subsidiary of the Company also provides fiber optic services.

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Certain matters discussed in this press release are “forward-looking statements” intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Such statements address future plans, objectives, expectations, and events or conditions concerning various matters.  Actual results in each case could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements, by reason of the factors noted in our filings with the SEC, including the most recent Form 10-K and 10-Q.

Contact:

MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Amy Bass

Director of Corporate Communications

417-625-5114

abass@empiredistrict.com

INVESTOR RELATIONS

Jan Watson

Secretary – Treasurer

417-625-5108

jwatson@empiredistrict.com

EX-99.2

EXHIBIT 99.2

THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY

ANNOUNCES MANAGEMENT CHANGES

JOPLIN, MO – February 3, 2011 – Following the regular quarterly meeting of the directors of The Empire District Electric Company held today, Mr. D. Randy Laney, chairman of the board, announced changes to the Company’s senior management team.

Mr. Bradley P. Beecher was elected to serve as president and chief executive officer effective June 1, 2011, following the retirement of Mr. William L. Gipson on May 31, 2011.  Effective February 4, 2011, Mr. Beecher has been elected executive vice president.

Other elections include, Ms. Kelly S. Walters, vice president and chief operating officer – electric, Mr. Michael E. Palmer, vice president – transmission policy and corporate services, and Mr. Martin O. Penning, vice president – commercial operations.  These changes become effective February 4, 2011.

Mr. Blake A. Mertens has been elected vice president – energy supply effective May 1, 2011, replacing Mr. Harold R. Colgin II, who will retire April 30, 2011.

In making the announcements, Mr. Laney commented, “Bill Gipson has successfully led the Company through a challenging time.  During his leadership years, the Company’s assets nearly doubled from about $860 million in 2004 to approximately $1.5 billion at the end of 2010.  Bill’s focused leadership will be missed.  We are fortunate to have a very capable senior management team in place.”

Mr. Bill Gipson joined Empire in 1981 in the information technology area and was promoted to the manager of economic development in 1987. In 1995 he was promoted to director of commercial operations and, in early 1997, was named general manager – commercial operations. He was elected vice president – commercial operations in April 1997, executive vice president in 2001 and chief operating officer later that same year. He was elected to the board of directors in 2002 and as president and chief executive officer in 2002.

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Mr. Gipson serves as a board member of the Missouri Energy Development Association (MEDA), the Edison Electric Institute, the Financial Research Institute, and the Missouri Chamber of Commerce (MCC).  Mr. Gipson is past chairman of MEDA, the MCC, and the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce.  He is also a member of the Missouri Southern State University (MSSU) School of Business Advisory Council, the MSSU Foundation, and the Joplin Rotary Club.

A native of Jasper County, Missouri, Gipson graduated from MSSU with a Bachelor of Science degree in Management Technology.

Mr. Beecher, 45 with 21 years of service, joined Empire District in 1988 as a staff engineer at the Riverton Power Plant. He held various positions including director of production planning and administration and director of strategic planning.  From August 1999 to February 2001, Mr. Beecher worked for Black & Veatch, an engineering and construction firm in Kansas City.  He returned to Empire in February 2001, was elected vice president – energy supply in April 2001, promoted to vice president and chief operating officer – electric in June 2006, and elected executive vice president and chief operating officer – electric in February 2010.

A native of northwest Kansas, Mr. Beecher graduated from Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering. He is a registered professional engineer in the State of Kansas.

Mr. Beecher serves on the boards of the Joplin Business and Industrial Development Corporation (JBIDC), the Boys and Girls Club of Southwest Missouri, and the Kiwanis Club of Joplin.  He is a graduate of Leadership Missouri.

Ms. Kelly Walters, 45 with 18 years of service, joined the Company in 1988 as a fuel accountant.  She held various accounting and management positions before being named director of auditing in 1997.

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During a four-year separation, she served as the director of financial services for Crowder College in Neosho, Missouri. She returned to the Company in 2001 as director of planning and regulatory and was later named general manager of regulatory and general services.  In May 2006, Ms. Walters was elected vice president – regulatory and general services.

A native of southwest Missouri, Ms. Walters holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Pittsburg State University and a Masters degree in Human Resource Management from Webster University, St. Louis, Missouri.

Ms. Walters serves as a member of the Crowder College Foundation Board and the Missouri Workforce Investment Board.  She is a former board member and treasurer of the American Red Cross Southwest Missouri Chapter. She is a graduate of Leadership Missouri and is a member of the Anderson Lions Club.

Mr. Michael Palmer, 54 with 24 years of service, joined Empire in 1986 as a customer service consultant. He was named district manager for the Aurora area in 1994 and director of commercial operations in Branson in 1997. In 2001, Mr. Palmer was named general manager – commercial operations and, in 2001, he was elected vice president – commercial operations.

A native of Pierce City, Missouri, Mr. Palmer graduated from Pittsburg State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management.

Mr. Palmer serves on the Strategic Planning and Human Resources committees for the Southwest Power Pool and on the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce board where he is a member of the Public Policy Committee, and is a former board chairman.  He also serves on the board of the Republic Business and Industrial Development Association.  Mr. Palmer is a former chairman of the JBIDC, a former board member of the Aurora and Branson Chambers, and a past member of the Branson and Carl Junction City Councils.  He is a member of the Rotary Club.

Mr. Martin Penning, 55 with 30 years of service, began his career at Empire District as an engineer in 1980.  He has held numerous engineering positions including director of engineering and line services, as well as director of strategic planning, director of planning and regulatory, director of commercial operations-eastern, and director of commercial operations-western.

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Mr. Penning, a native of St. Louis, Missouri, earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology (MS&T) and is a member of the MS&T Corporate Development Council.  He is also a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers and has served on various Southwest Power Pool committees and task forces.

Mr. Penning serves as district chairman for the Ozark Trails Council of the Boy Scouts of America.  He is also a graduate of Leadership Missouri and is a member of the Webb City/Carl Junction Rotary Club.

Mr. Harold R. Colgin began his employment at Empire in 1972 as a mechanical engineer at the Asbury Power Plant. He has served in various positions in the Energy Supply area including plant manager at the Asbury Power Plant, superintendent for the Asbury Power Plant, and superintendent of production for the Company’s northern division. In June 2006 he became general manager – energy supply. In October 2006 he was elected to his present position.

Mr. Colgin holds an Associate of Arts degree from Allen County Community College and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Kansas State University.

Mr. Colgin is a member of the Webb City Elks Lodge, where he has held various offices including president and secretary, and the Missouri Elks State Association, where he has held various offices.

Mr. Blake Mertens, 33 with nine years of service, joined the Company in 2001 as staff engineer in energy supply.  Positions he has held include planning engineer, combustion turbine construction project manager, manager of strategic projects, and associate director of strategic projects.  He was named director of strategic projects, safety, and environmental services in January of 2010 prior to taking the position of general manager – energy supply in November of 2010.

Prior to his employment with Empire, Mr. Mertens was an energy consultant for Black & Veatch of Overland Park, Kansas.

A native of the Wichita, Kansas, area, Mr. Mertens received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering at Kansas State University and a Masters in Business Administration at Missouri State University. He is a registered professional engineer in the State of Kansas.

Mr. Mertens serves on the board of the Wildcat Glades Conservation and Audubon Center and as treasurer for the Bulldog Youth Athletic Association in Carl Junction.

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Based in Joplin, Missouri, The Empire District Electric Company (NYSE: EDE) is an investor-owned, regulated utility providing electricity, natural gas (through its wholly owned subsidiary The Empire District Gas Company), and water service, with approximately 215,000 customers in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.  A subsidiary of the company provides fiber optic services.  For more information regarding Empire, visit www.empiredistrict.com.

Certain matters discussed in this press release are "forward-looking statements" intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements address future plans, objectives, expectations, and events or conditions concerning various matters. Actual results in each case could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements, by reason of the factors noted in our filings with the SEC, including the most recent Form 10-K and 10-Q.

Contact:

MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

Amy Bass

Director of Corporate Communications

417-625-5114

abass@empiredistrict.com

INVESTOR RELATIONS

Jan Watson

Secretary – Treasurer

417-625-5108

jwatson@empiredistrict.com