<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE>  UT
<CIK>  92487
<NAME>  SOUTHWESTERN ELECTRIC POWER 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>                               1,877,134            1,877,134
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                 3,250                3,250
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                    162,950              162,950
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                   33,310               33,310
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                             20,911               20,911
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                          2,097,555            2,097,555
<COMMON>                                                  135,660              135,660
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                 245,000              245,000
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                       324,059              324,059
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                            704,719              704,719
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                      33,578               33,578
<PREFERRED>                                                16,032               16,032
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                      534,214              534,214
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                              0                    0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                  50,000               50,000
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                  0                    0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                 145                  145
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                   2,400                2,400
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                10,436               10,436
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                            3,755                3,755
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                            742,276              742,276
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                           2,097,555            2,097,555
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                 266,268              648,468
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                       23,969               37,744
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                182,419              475,379
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                206,388              513,123
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                    59,880              135,345
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                            374                3,931
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                             60,254              139,276
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   11,781               37,208
<NET-INCOME>                                               48,473              102,068
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                   854                2,472
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                              47,619               99,596
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                   51,000               73,000
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                  10,986               33,423
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                     84,944              187,164
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                0.25                 0.52
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                0.25                 0.52
        


</TABLE>