FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * MOORE WILLIAM B   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol WESTAR ENERGY INC /KS [WR] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) President and CEO (Last) (First) (Middle) 818 S KANSAS AVENUE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 01/21/2009 (Street) TOPEKA, KS 66612 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock, par value $5.00 01/21/2009   F(1)   44 D $ 19.75 147,842 (2) D   Common Stock, par value $5.00 01/21/2009   G(3)   94 D $ 0 147,748 (2) D   Common Stock, par value $5.00 01/21/2009   G(3)   94 A $ 0 77,410 I By trust (4) Common Stock, par value $5.00               1,173 I By trust (5)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
MOORE WILLIAM B 818 S KANSAS AVENUE TOPEKA, KS 66612	X		President and CEO

Signatures

Cynthia S. Couch by power of attorney		01/22/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Forfeiture of 44 shares for the payment of taxes upon the distribution of previously-deferred share units earned as reinvested dividend equivalents and reported in 2004. The distribution was made pursuant to a deferral election made previously by the reporting person.
(2)	Includes 35,300 restricted share units that are subject to forfeiture.
(3)	Previously-deferred and directly-held shares were distributed into the reporting person's trust account, of which the reporting person is both a co-trustee and a beneficiary.
(4)	Shares are held in a trust of which the reporting person is both a co-trustee and a beneficiary.
(5)	Shares are held in a trust of which the reporting person is a co-trustee.

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