EXHIBIT (24) 20
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


The undersigned,  as a director of West Texas Utilities Company (the "Company"),
hereby makes,  constitutes and appoints Paul J. Brower and R. Russell Davis, and
each of them severally,  his true and lawful  attorneys-in-fact and agents, each
with full power and  authority  (acting alone and without the others) to execute
in the name and on behalf of the  undersigned,  in any and all  capacities,  the
Company's  Annual  Report  on Form  10-K  for  1998  and any and all  amendments
thereto, to be filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,  and
any other documents and instruments  incidental  thereto,  and to file the same,
with all exhibits  thereto and all documents in connection  therewith,  with the
Securities and Exchange Commission,  hereby granting to such  attorneys-in-fact,
and agents,  and each of them,  full power and  authority  of  substitution  and
revocation  in the premises and full power and  authority to do and perform each
and every  act and thing  requisite  and  necessary  to be done in and about the
premises,  as fully for all intents and  purposes  as the  undersigned  might or
could  do  in  person  and  hereby   ratifying  and  confirming  all  that  such
attorneys-in-fact  and  agents,  or any of  them,  may do or cause to be done by
virtue of this Power of Attorney.

IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have hereunto  executed this Power of Attorney this 26th
day of January, 1999.


                                       /s/ E.R. Brooks
                                           E.R. Brooks
                                           Director



Subscribed and sworn to before me this 26th day of January, 1999 by E.R. Brooks.


                                       /s/ Martha Murray
                                           Notary Public

My Commission Expires:     11-19-2000


<PAGE>


EXHIBIT (24) 20
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


The undersigned,  as a director of West Texas Utilities Company (the "Company"),
hereby makes,  constitutes and appoints Paul J. Brower and R. Russell Davis, and
each of them severally,  his true and lawful  attorneys-in-fact and agents, each
with full power and  authority  (acting alone and without the others) to execute
in the name and on behalf of the  undersigned,  in any and all  capacities,  the
Company's  Annual  Report  on Form  10-K  for  1998  and any and all  amendments
thereto, to be filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,  and
any other documents and instruments  incidental  thereto,  and to file the same,
with all exhibits  thereto and all documents in connection  therewith,  with the
Securities and Exchange Commission,  hereby granting to such  attorneys-in-fact,
and agents,  and each of them,  full power and  authority  of  substitution  and
revocation  in the premises and full power and  authority to do and perform each
and every  act and thing  requisite  and  necessary  to be done in and about the
premises,  as fully for all intents and  purposes  as the  undersigned  might or
could  do  in  person  and  hereby   ratifying  and  confirming  all  that  such
attorneys-in-fact  and  agents,  or any of  them,  may do or cause to be done by
virtue of this Power of Attorney.

IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have hereunto  executed this Power of Attorney this 26th
day of January, 1999.


                                       /s/ Glenn Files
                                           Glenn Files
                                           Director



Subscribed and sworn to before me this 26th day of January, 1999 by Glenn Files.


                                       /s/ Martha Murray
                                           Notary Public

My Commission Expires:     11-19-2000


<PAGE>


EXHIBIT (24) 20
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


The undersigned,  as a director of West Texas Utilities Company (the "Company"),
hereby makes,  constitutes and appoints Paul J. Brower and R. Russell Davis, and
each of them severally,  his true and lawful  attorneys-in-fact and agents, each
with full power and  authority  (acting alone and without the others) to execute
in the name and on behalf of the  undersigned,  in any and all  capacities,  the
Company's  Annual  Report  on Form  10-K  for  1998  and any and all  amendments
thereto, to be filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,  and
any other documents and instruments  incidental  thereto,  and to file the same,
with all exhibits  thereto and all documents in connection  therewith,  with the
Securities and Exchange Commission,  hereby granting to such  attorneys-in-fact,
and agents,  and each of them,  full power and  authority  of  substitution  and
revocation  in the premises and full power and  authority to do and perform each
and every  act and thing  requisite  and  necessary  to be done in and about the
premises,  as fully for all intents and  purposes  as the  undersigned  might or
could  do  in  person  and  hereby   ratifying  and  confirming  all  that  such
attorneys-in-fact  and  agents,  or any of  them,  may do or cause to be done by
virtue of this Power of Attorney.

IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have hereunto  executed this Power of Attorney this 26th
day of January, 1999.


                                       /s/ Alphonso Jackson
                                           Alphonso Jackson
                                           Director




Subscribed  and sworn to before me this 26th day of  January,  1999 by  Alphonso
Jackson.


                                       /s/ Martha Murray
                                           Notary Public

My Commission Expires:     11-19-2000


<PAGE>


EXHIBIT (24) 20
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


The undersigned,  as a director of West Texas Utilities Company (the "Company"),
hereby makes,  constitutes and appoints Paul J. Brower and R. Russell Davis, and
each of them severally,  his true and lawful  attorneys-in-fact and agents, each
with full power and  authority  (acting alone and without the others) to execute
in the name and on behalf of the  undersigned,  in any and all  capacities,  the
Company's  Annual  Report  on Form  10-K  for  1998  and any and all  amendments
thereto, to be filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,  and
any other documents and instruments  incidental  thereto,  and to file the same,
with all exhibits  thereto and all documents in connection  therewith,  with the
Securities and Exchange Commission,  hereby granting to such  attorneys-in-fact,
and agents,  and each of them,  full power and  authority  of  substitution  and
revocation  in the premises and full power and  authority to do and perform each
and every  act and thing  requisite  and  necessary  to be done in and about the
premises,  as fully for all intents and  purposes  as the  undersigned  might or
could  do  in  person  and  hereby   ratifying  and  confirming  all  that  such
attorneys-in-fact  and  agents,  or any of  them,  may do or cause to be done by
virtue of this Power of Attorney.

IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have hereunto  executed this Power of Attorney this 26th
day of January, 1999.


                                       /s/ Tommy Morris
                                           Tommy Morris
                                           Director


Subscribed  and  sworn to  before  me this  26th day of  January,  1999 by Tommy
Morris.



                                       /s/ Martha Murray
                                           Notary Public

My Commission Expires:     11-19-2000


<PAGE>


EXHIBIT (24) 20
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


The undersigned,  as a director of West Texas Utilities Company (the "Company"),
hereby makes,  constitutes and appoints Paul J. Brower and R. Russell Davis, and
each of them severally,  her true and lawful  attorneys-in-fact and agents, each
with full power and  authority  (acting alone and without the others) to execute
in the name and on behalf of the  undersigned,  in any and all  capacities,  the
Company's  Annual  Report  on Form  10-K  for  1998  and any and all  amendments
thereto, to be filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,  and
any other documents and instruments  incidental  thereto,  and to file the same,
with all exhibits  thereto and all documents in connection  therewith,  with the
Securities and Exchange Commission,  hereby granting to such  attorneys-in-fact,
and agents,  and each of them,  full power and  authority  of  substitution  and
revocation  in the premises and full power and  authority to do and perform each
and every  act and thing  requisite  and  necessary  to be done in and about the
premises,  as fully for all intents and  purposes  as the  undersigned  might or
could  do  in  person  and  hereby   ratifying  and  confirming  all  that  such
attorneys-in-fact  and  agents,  or any of  them,  may do or cause to be done by
virtue of this Power of Attorney.

IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have hereunto  executed this Power of Attorney this 26th
day of January, 1999.


                                       /s/ Dian G. Owen
                                           Dian G. Owen
                                           Director




Subscribed and sworn to before me this 26th day of January, 1999 by Dian G.
Owen.


                                       /s/ Martha Murray
                                           Notary Public

My Commission Expires:     11-19-2000


<PAGE>


EXHIBIT (24) 20
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


The undersigned,  as a director of West Texas Utilities Company (the "Company"),
hereby makes,  constitutes and appoints Paul J. Brower and R. Russell Davis, and
each of them severally,  his true and lawful  attorneys-in-fact and agents, each
with full power and  authority  (acting alone and without the others) to execute
in the name and on behalf of the  undersigned,  in any and all  capacities,  the
Company's  Annual  Report  on Form  10-K  for  1998  and any and all  amendments
thereto, to be filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,  and
any other documents and instruments  incidental  thereto,  and to file the same,
with all exhibits  thereto and all documents in connection  therewith,  with the
Securities and Exchange Commission,  hereby granting to such  attorneys-in-fact,
and agents,  and each of them,  full power and  authority  of  substitution  and
revocation  in the premises and full power and  authority to do and perform each
and every  act and thing  requisite  and  necessary  to be done in and about the
premises,  as fully for all intents and  purposes  as the  undersigned  might or
could  do  in  person  and  hereby   ratifying  and  confirming  all  that  such
attorneys-in-fact  and  agents,  or any of  them,  may do or cause to be done by
virtue of this Power of Attorney.

IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have hereunto  executed this Power of Attorney this 26th
day of January, 1999.


                                       /s/ James Parker
                                           James Parker
                                           Director




Subscribed  and  sworn to  before  me this  26th day of  January,  1999 by James
Parker.


                                       /s/ Martha Murray
                                           Notary Public

My Commission Expires:     11-19-2000


<PAGE>


EXHIBIT (24) 20
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


The undersigned,  as a director of West Texas Utilities Company (the "Company"),
hereby makes,  constitutes and appoints Paul J. Brower and R. Russell Davis, and
each of them severally,  his true and lawful  attorneys-in-fact and agents, each
with full power and  authority  (acting alone and without the others) to execute
in the name and on behalf of the  undersigned,  in any and all  capacities,  the
Company's  Annual  Report  on Form  10-K  for  1998  and any and all  amendments
thereto, to be filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,  and
any other documents and instruments  incidental  thereto,  and to file the same,
with all exhibits  thereto and all documents in connection  therewith,  with the
Securities and Exchange Commission,  hereby granting to such  attorneys-in-fact,
and agents,  and each of them,  full power and  authority  of  substitution  and
revocation  in the premises and full power and  authority to do and perform each
and every  act and thing  requisite  and  necessary  to be done in and about the
premises,  as fully for all intents and  purposes  as the  undersigned  might or
could  do  in  person  and  hereby   ratifying  and  confirming  all  that  such
attorneys-in-fact  and  agents,  or any of  them,  may do or cause to be done by
virtue of this Power of Attorney.

IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have hereunto  executed this Power of Attorney this 26th
day of January, 1999.


                                       /s/ F.L. Stephens
                                           F.L. Stephens
                                           Director




Subscribed and sworn to before me this 26th day of January, 1999 by F. L.
 Stephens.


                                       /s/ Martha Murray
                                           Notary Public

My Commission Expires:     11-19-2000