<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE>  UT
<CIK>  0000018540
<NAME>  CENTRAL AND SOUTH WEST CORPORTION
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000,000
       
<S>                                        <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                              6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                            Dec-31-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                                 Jun-30-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                                    PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                          8,325
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                          299
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                             1,690
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                             500
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                     2,969
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                    13,783
<COMMON>                                                             744
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                          1,045
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                                1,748
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                     3,537
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                  0
<PREFERRED>                                                          176
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                               4,074
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                     0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                             40
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                     1,704
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                         92
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                              0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                            4
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                       2
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                     4,154
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                     13,783
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                          2,601
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                                  76
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                         2,148
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                         2,224
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                              377
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                    27
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                       404
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                             238
<NET-INCOME>                                                         166
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                            4
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                        166
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                             185
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                            105
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                               403
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                       0.78
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                       0.78
        





</TABLE>