<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000073986
<NAME> OHIO POWER COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                                        
<PERIOD-TYPE>                              9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1995
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-30-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    2,774,555
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    106,933
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         560,603
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                        70,811
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                 543,806
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               4,056,708
<COMMON>                                       321,201
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      460,567
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            569,601
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               1,351,369
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          115,000
<PREFERRED>                                     38,532
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         1,002,495
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                  83,337
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                   67,294
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0  
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                    107,008
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                23,917
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               1,267,756
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                4,056,708
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    1,438,081
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            92,508
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   1,121,194
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   1,213,702
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        224,379
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               6,600
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 230,979
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        65,574
<NET-INCOME>                                   165,405
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      6,681
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  158,724
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       107,142
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       39,854
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         294,472
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0<F1>
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0<F1>
<FN>
<F1> All common stock owned by parent company; no EPS required.
</FN>