<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000055373
<NAME> KENTUCKY POWER COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                                        
<PERIOD-TYPE>                              6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               JUN-30-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                      716,215
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                      6,370
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         119,849
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                         8,265
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                  90,918
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 941,617
<COMMON>                                        50,450
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      138,750
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                             71,356
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 260,556
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           313,935
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                              31,950
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                  11,150
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                   25,000
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                     15,202
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                 3,925
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 279,899
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                  941,617
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      289,424
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                             3,832
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     263,870
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     267,702
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                         21,722
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                (164)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  21,558
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        14,128
<NET-INCOME>                                     7,430
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                    7,430
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        14,150
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                        7,004
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                          17,093
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0<F1>
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0<F1>
<FN>
<F1> All common stock owned by parent company; no EPS required.
</FN>