<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE>  UT
<CIK>  18734
<NAME>  CENTRAL POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                                         <C>                   <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                               3-MOS                 9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                     DEC-31-1995          DEC-31-1995
<PERIOD-END>                                          SEP-30-1995          SEP-30-1995
<BOOK-VALUE>                                             PER-BOOK             PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                               3,470,450            3,470,450
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                 1,538                1,538
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                    161,795              161,795
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                1,151,292            1,151,292
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                             94,225               94,225
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                          4,879,300            4,879,300
<COMMON>                                                  168,888              168,888
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                 405,000              405,000
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                       885,811              885,811
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                          1,459,699            1,459,699
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                           0                    0
<PREFERRED>                                               250,351              250,351
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                    1,517,887            1,517,887
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                              0                    0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                       0                    0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                  0                    0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                 526                  526
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                       0                    0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                   183                  183
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                               73                   73
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                          1,650,581            1,650,581
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                           4,879,300            4,879,300
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                 358,790              810,597
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                       39,295                3,677
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                215,413              575,764
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                254,708              579,441
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                   104,082              231,156
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                         13,079               44,038
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                            117,161              275,194
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   34,923              100,950
<NET-INCOME>                                               82,238              174,244
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                 3,535               10,899
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                              78,703              163,345
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                   75,000              135,000
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                  32,082               89,176
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                     82,263              235,230
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                0.41                 0.85
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                0.41                 0.85
        


</TABLE>