Topeka ? Senior officials at Westar Energy Inc. are operating the state’s largest electric company in the absence of top executive David Wittig, who faces federal fraud charges.

Westar’s board of directors still plans to name an interim president and chief executive officer to replace Wittig while he defends himself against allegations that he and a former Topeka bank president hid the purpose of a $1.5 million loan last year.

But the board has no timetable for making a decision, said Westar spokesman Doug Lawrence.

“Our emphasis is on getting the right decision,” he said.

Lawrence said the company’s top executives meet daily, and any decision that exceeds their authority will go to the board of directors.

Wittig, 47, asked to be placed on administrative leave without pay Thursday, the same day he was charged with offenses including submitting false entries, conspiracy and money laundering.

The same charges were lodged against Clinton Odell Weidner II, 49, the former president of the Capital City Bank.

So far, Wittig’s absence hasn’t provoked comment from the Kansas Corporation Commission, which regulates utilities. Westar provides electricity to about 647,000 customers in Kansas, including Lawrence.

“We’re continuing to watch the situation very closely,” KCC spokeswoman Rosemary Foreman said.

On Friday, the Kansas Corporation Commission ordered Westar to reorganize to protect consumers from risks associated with Westar’s non-utility business interests. Those non-utility business interests include an 88 percent share of the Protection One monitored security firm. The commission ordered Westar to reduce its debt and move its utility operations into one or more subsidiaries.