<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000073986
<NAME> OHIO POWER COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                                        
<PERIOD-TYPE>                              9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-30-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    2,780,783
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    219,677
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         771,877
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                        46,127
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                 528,068
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               4,346,532
<COMMON>                                       321,201
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      462,314
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            610,174
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               1,393,689
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                           11,850
<PREFERRED>                                     17,471
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         1,027,587
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                              32,200
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                  66,608
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                   16,289
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0  
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                    117,831
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                27,994
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               1,635,013
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                4,346,532
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    2,901,072
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           104,311
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   2,558,989
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   2,663,300
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        237,772
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               2,022
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 239,794
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        60,338
<NET-INCOME>                                   179,456
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      1,107
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  178,349
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       158,325
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       26,204
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         360,371
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0<F1>
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0<F1>
<FN>
<F1> All common stock owned by parent company; no EPS required.
</FN>