EXHIBIT (24)  POWER OF ATTORNEY  KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the
undersigned, a director of THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY, a corporation
organized and existing under the laws of the State of Kansas, does hereby
constitute and appoint W. L. GIPSON and G. A. KNAPP, and each of them, the true
and lawful attorney-in-fact of the undersigned, in the name, place and stead of
the undersigned, to sign the name of the undersigned to the Companys Annual
Report Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, File
Number 1-3368, to be filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and to any amendment thereto, and to cause the
same to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, it being intended
to give and hereby giving and granting unto said attorneys-in-fact, and each of
them, full power and authority to do and perform any act and thing necessary
and proper to be done in the premises as fully and to all intents and purposes
as the undersigned could do if personally present; and the undersigned hereby
ratifies and confirms all that said attorneys-in-fact, or any one of them,
shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed
this Power of Attorney this 31st day of January 2008.   /s/ D. RANDY LANEYD. RANDY LANEY


POWER OF ATTORNEY  KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the
undersigned, a director of THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY, a corporation
organized and existing under the laws of the State of Kansas, does hereby
constitute and appoint W. L. GIPSON and G. A. KNAPP, and each of them, the true
and lawful attorney-in-fact of the undersigned, in the name, place and stead of
the undersigned, to sign the name of the undersigned to the Companys Annual
Report Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, File
Number 1-3368, to be filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and to any amendment thereto, and to cause the
same to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, it being intended
to give and hereby giving and granting unto said attorneys-in-fact, and each of
them, full power and authority to do and perform any act and thing necessary
and proper to be done in the premises as fully and to all intents and purposes
as the undersigned could do if personally present; and the undersigned hereby
ratifies and confirms all that said attorneys-in-fact, or any one of them,
shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed
this Power of Attorney this 31st day of January 2008.   /s/ ALLAN T. THOMSALLAN T. THOMS


POWER OF ATTORNEY  KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the
undersigned, a director of THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY, a corporation
organized and existing under the laws of the State of Kansas, does hereby
constitute and appoint W. L. GIPSON and G. A. KNAPP, and each of them, the true
and lawful attorney-in-fact of the undersigned, in the name, place and stead of
the undersigned, to sign the name of the undersigned to the Companys Annual
Report Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, File
Number 1-3368, to be filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and to any amendment thereto, and to cause the
same to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, it being intended
to give and hereby giving and granting unto said attorneys-in-fact, and each of
them, full power and authority to do and perform any act and thing necessary
and proper to be done in the premises as fully and to all intents and purposes
as the undersigned could do if personally present; and the undersigned hereby
ratifies and confirms all that said attorneys-in-fact, or any one of them, shall
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed
this Power of Attorney this 31st day of January 2008.   /s/ MARY MCCLEARY POSNERMARY MCCLEARY POSNER


POWER OF ATTORNEY  KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the
undersigned, a director of THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY, a corporation
organized and existing under the laws of the State of Kansas, does hereby
constitute and appoint W. L. GIPSON and G. A. KNAPP, and each of them, the true
and lawful attorney-in-fact of the undersigned, in the name, place and stead of
the undersigned, to sign the name of the undersigned to the Companys Annual
Report Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, File
Number 1-3368, to be filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and to any amendment thereto, and to cause the
same to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, it being intended
to give and hereby giving and granting unto said attorneys-in-fact, and each of
them, full power and authority to do and perform any act and thing necessary
and proper to be done in the premises as fully and to all intents and purposes
as the undersigned could do if personally present; and the undersigned hereby ratifies
and confirms all that said attorneys-in-fact, or any one of them, shall
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed
this Power of Attorney this 31st day of January 2008.   /s/ BILL D. HELTONBILL D. HELTON


POWER OF ATTORNEY  KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the
undersigned, a director of THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY, a corporation
organized and existing under the laws of the State of Kansas, does hereby
constitute and appoint W. L. GIPSON and G. A. KNAPP, and each of them, the true
and lawful attorney-in-fact of the undersigned, in the name, place and stead of
the undersigned, to sign the name of the undersigned to the Companys Annual
Report Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, File
Number 1-3368, to be filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and to any amendment thereto, and to cause the
same to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, it being intended
to give and hereby giving and granting unto said attorneys-in-fact, and each of
them, full power and authority to do and perform any act and thing necessary
and proper to be done in the premises as fully and to all intents and purposes
as the undersigned could do if personally present; and the undersigned hereby
ratifies and confirms all that said attorneys-in-fact, or any one of them,
shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed
this Power of Attorney this 31st day of January 2008.   /s/ ROSS C. HARTLEYROSS C. HARTLEY


POWER OF ATTORNEY  KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the
undersigned, a director of THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY, a corporation
organized and existing under the laws of the State of Kansas, does hereby
constitute and appoint W. L. GIPSON and G. A. KNAPP, and each of them, the true
and lawful attorney-in-fact of the undersigned, in the name, place and stead of
the undersigned, to sign the name of the undersigned to the Companys Annual
Report Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, File
Number 1-3368, to be filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and to any amendment thereto, and to cause the
same to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, it being intended
to give and hereby giving and granting unto said attorneys-in-fact, and each of
them, full power and authority to do and perform any act and thing necessary
and proper to be done in the premises as fully and to all intents and purposes
as the undersigned could do if personally present; and the undersigned hereby
ratifies and confirms all that said attorneys-in-fact, or any one of them,
shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed
this Power of Attorney this 31st day of January 2008.   /s/ B. THOMAS MUELLERB. THOMAS MUELLER


POWER OF ATTORNEY  KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the
undersigned, a director of THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY, a corporation
organized and existing under the laws of the State of Kansas, does hereby
constitute and appoint W. L. GIPSON and G. A. KNAPP, and each of them, the true
and lawful attorney-in-fact of the undersigned, in the name, place and stead of
the undersigned, to sign the name of the undersigned to the Companys Annual
Report Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, File
Number 1-3368, to be filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and to any amendment thereto, and to cause the
same to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, it being intended
to give and hereby giving and granting unto said attorneys-in-fact, and each of
them, full power and authority to do and perform any act and thing necessary
and proper to be done in the premises as fully and to all intents and purposes
as the undersigned could do if personally present; and the undersigned hereby
ratifies and confirms all that said attorneys-in-fact, or any one of them,
shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed
this Power of Attorney this 31st day of January 2008.   /s/ DR. JULIO S. LEONDR. JULIO S. LEON


POWER OF ATTORNEY  KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the
undersigned, a director of THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY, a corporation
organized and existing under the laws of the State of Kansas, does hereby
constitute and appoint W. L. GIPSON and G. A. KNAPP, and each of them, the true
and lawful attorney-in-fact of the undersigned, in the name, place and stead of
the undersigned, to sign the name of the undersigned to the Companys Annual
Report Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, File Number
1-3368, to be filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, and to any amendment thereto, and to cause the same to be
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, it being intended to give
and hereby giving and granting unto said attorneys-in-fact, and each of them,
full power and authority to do and perform any act and thing necessary and
proper to be done in the premises as fully and to all intents and purposes as
the undersigned could do if personally present; and the undersigned hereby
ratifies and confirms all that said attorneys-in-fact, or any one of them,
shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed
this Power of Attorney this 31st day of January 2008.   /s/ KENNETH R. ALLENKENNETH R. ALLEN


POWER OF ATTORNEY  KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the
undersigned, a director of THE EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC COMPANY, a corporation
organized and existing under the laws of the State of Kansas, does hereby
constitute and appoint W. L. GIPSON and G. A. KNAPP, and each of them, the true
and lawful attorney-in-fact of the undersigned, in the name, place and stead of
the undersigned, to sign the name of the undersigned to the Companys Annual
Report Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, File
Number 1-3368, to be filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and to any amendment thereto, and to cause the
same to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, it being intended
to give and hereby giving and granting unto said attorneys-in-fact, and each of
them, full power and authority to do and perform any act and thing necessary
and proper to be done in the premises as fully and to all intents and purposes
as the undersigned could do if personally present; and the undersigned hereby
ratifies and confirms all that said attorneys-in-fact, or any one of them,
shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed
this Power of Attorney this 31st day of January 2008.   /s/ MYRON W. MCKINNEYMYRON W. MCKINNEY