<TABLE> <S> <C>


<ARTICLE>                                           UT
<LEGEND>
     This schedule  contains summary  financial  information  extracted from the
consolidated  balance  sheet  of  MidAmerican  Energy  Holdings  Company  as  of
September 30, 1997, and the related  consolidated  statements of income and cash
flows for the nine months  ended  September  30,  1997,  and is qualified in its
entirety by reference to such financial statements.
 </LEGEND>
<CIK>                         0001009526
<NAME>                        MIDAMERICAN ENERGY HOLDINGS COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                   SEP-30-1997
<BOOK-VALUE>                                   PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                      2,611,150
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    889,529
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         338,875
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       376,814
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                 188,860
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 4,405,228
<COMMON>                                       947,240
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      0
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            421,059
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 1,368,299
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          150,000
<PREFERRED>                                    31,765
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           1,103,551
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                             0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                      0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                 141,354
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  77,727
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                      0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                    0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                               0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 1,532,532
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                  4,405,228
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      1,415,708
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           66,297<F1>
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     1,185,132
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     1,185,132
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        230,576
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                             25,199<F2>
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 255,775
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       84,042
<NET-INCOME>                                   105,436
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                    0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  105,436
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       89,103
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      57,868
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         299,134
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                  1.07
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  1.07
<FN>
<F1> Tag 37 includes operating and nonoperating income taxes and is excluded
from operating expenses in Tag 39 and on the Consolidated Statement of Income.
<F2> Tag 41 includes $2,619,000 of loss from Discontinued Operations, net of
income taxes.
</FN>
        


</TABLE>