The Empire District Electric Company
602 S. Joplin Avenue
Joplin, Missouri 64801
January 16, 2024
Securities and Exchange Commission
Division of Corporation Finance
100 F Street, N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20549
Attention: Jason Weidberg, Office of Structured Finance
Benjamin Meeks, Office of Structured Finance
Re: The Empire District Electric Company
Empire District Bondco, LLC
Registration Statement on Form SF-1
File Nos. 333-274815 and 333-274815-01
Dear Mr. Weidberg and Mr. Meeks:
Pursuant to Rule 461 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, The Empire District Electric Company and Empire District Bondco, LLC, hereby request that the effective date of the Registration Statement referred to above be accelerated so that the same will become effective on January 18, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. E.T., or as soon as practicable thereafter.
Please call or email Michael F. Fitzpatrick, Jr. or Adam R. O’Brian of Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP at (212) 309-1071 or (212) 309-1043, respectively, or mfitzpatrick@huntonak.com or aobrian@huntonak.com, respectively, as soon as the registration statement has been declared effective.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| The Empire District Electric Company | ||
| By: | /s/ Kevin Noblet | |
| Name: | Kevin Noblet | |
| Title: | President | |
| By: | /s/ Jennifer Shewmake | |
| Name: | Jennifer Shewmake | |
| Title: | Treasurer and Secretary | |
cc: Michael F. Fitzpatrick, Jr., Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
Adam R. O’Brian, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP