<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000004904
<NAME> AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY, INC.
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                                        
<PERIOD-TYPE>                              9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-30-1997
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                   11,502,352
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                  1,313,845
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                       1,379,080
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       216,417
<OTHER-ASSETS>                               1,838,720
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              16,250,414
<COMMON>                                     1,290,971
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                    1,762,296
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                          1,592,705
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               4,645,972
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          127,605
<PREFERRED>                                     46,869
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         5,122,382
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                             123,925
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                 383,825
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  219,422
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                    396,289
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                95,609
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               5,088,516
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               16,250,414
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    4,458,221
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           284,978
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   3,404,920
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   3,689,898
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        768,323
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                              43,030 
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 811,353
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       300,851
<NET-INCOME>                                   384,881 <F1>
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     15,056 <F2>
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  384,881
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       339,685
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      177,973
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         965,995
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                    $2.04 <F3>
<EPS-DILUTED>                                    $2.04 <F3>
<FN>
<F1> Net income includes an extraordinary loss of $(110,565,000)
 for United Kingdom windfall tax.
<F2> Represents preferred stock dividend requirements of
 subsidiaries; deducted before computation of net income.
<F3> EPS includes an extraordinary loss of $(0.58) for United
 Kingdom windfall tax.
</FN>