Topeka ? Westar Energy Inc., wants to sell part of its service area that includes 10,000 electrical customers in eight central Kansas counties to Midwest Energy Inc.

Company officials declined Tuesday to disclose how much money is involved in the sale, which must be approved by the Kansas Corporation Commission.

Bill Dowling, Midwest vice president, said the customer-owned utility will file the paperwork with the KCC sometime in November. He said Midwest approached Westar, the state’s largest electric provider.

The service area includes customers in Ellsworth, Rice, Pratt, Reno, Barton, Stafford, Edwards and Pawnee counties. Midwest, with 35,000 electrical customers and 43,000 natural gas customers, is based in Hays.

He said there won’t be any disruption of service and no increase in electrical rate.

“The existing rates will remain in place,” Dowling said. “They will note their bill comes from Midwest instead of Westar once the deal closes and that is about it.”