Great Plains Energy (NYSE: GXP) and KCP&L announced today that Terry Bassham, president and chief operating officer of Great Plains Energy and KCP&L, has been appointed to the board of directors of Great Plains Energy, effective September 1, 2011.

Earlier this year, Bassham replaced Bill Downey as president and chief operating officer of Great Plains Energy and KCP&L, when Downey announced he would be retiring from the company and board of directors on August 31, 2011.

"We are extremely pleased and fortunate to have Terry join our Board of Directors," stated Mike Chesser, chairman and chief executive officer. "He brings extensive utility knowledge and decades of business experience to the Board. Terry is a key member of the Company's leadership team and has played an important role over the past several years. In his new company position and role on the board, he will have a vital role in leading us into the future."

Prior to his promotion to president and chief operating officer of Great Plains Energy and KCP&L, Bassham served as executive vice president of Utility Operations. In this role he had management responsibility for all utility operations, including the Generation and Delivery divisions, Procurement, Safety, Human Resources and Facilities. He previously served as KCP&L's executive vice president of finance and strategic development and chief financial officer.

As KCP&L's chief financial officer, Bassham was responsible for the financing strategy behind the Comprehensive Energy Plan, maintaining KCP&L's credit rating during the largest capital investment strategy in company history. In his role as CFO, Bassham also helped lead the transformation of KCP&L's business through the sale of Strategic Energy and the acquisition of Aquila. The acquisition doubled the company's workforce, significantly increased its service territory and has delivered more than $340 million in synergies.

About The Companies:

Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., Great Plains Energy Incorporated 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 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