Aquila Appoints KPMG to Serve as Company's Independent Auditors.

Business Editors

KANSAS CITY, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 21, 2002

Aquila, Inc. (NYSE:ILA) announced today that it has appointed KPMG LLP as the company's independent auditor and has dismissed Arthur Andersen LLP, its auditor since 1992.

"KPMG has a global reputation for providing superior independent audit services," said Robert K. Green, president and chief executive officer of Aquila. "KPMG is committed to ensuring investor confidence in the financial reporting system is restored."

KPMG LLP provides information integrity services to investors and businesses worldwide and is the U.S. member firm of KPMG International. KPMG International's member firms have 103,000 professionals, including 6,500 partners, in 152 countries.

Based in Kansas City, Missouri, Aquila (formerly UtiliCorp United) is an international energy and risk management company. Aquila is one of the largest wholesalers of electricity and natural gas in North America, provides wholesale energy services in the United Kingdom and has a presence in Germany and Scandinavia. It also operates electricity and natural gas distribution networks serving more than 6 million customers in seven states and in Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia. At March 31, 2002, Aquila had total assets of $12.3 billion and 12-month sales of $37.3 billion. More information is available at www.aquila.com.