<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000004904
<NAME> AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY, INC.
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                                        
<PERIOD-TYPE>                              12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                   11,632,849
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                  1,358,810
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                       1,518,136
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       288,011
<OTHER-ASSETS>                               1,817,540
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              16,615,346
<COMMON>                                     1,293,435
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                    1,778,782
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                          1,605,017
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               4,677,234
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          127,605
<PREFERRED>                                     46,724
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         5,129,463
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                             199,285
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                 355,790
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  294,454
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                    437,303
<LEASES-CURRENT>                               101,089
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               5,246,399
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               16,615,346
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    6,161,368
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           362,560
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   4,814,354
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   5,176,914
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        984,454
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                              59,572
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>               1,044,026
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       405,815
<NET-INCOME>                                   510,961<F1>
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     17,831<F2>
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  510,961
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       453,453
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      236,250
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                       1,197,922
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                    $2.70<F3>
<EPS-DILUTED>                                    $2.70<F3>
<FN>
<F1> Net income includes an extraordinary loss of $(109,419,000)
 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>