<ARTICLE>  UT
<CIK>  0000092487
<NAME>  SOUTHWESTERN ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY
<SUBSIDIARY>
<NUMBER> 005
<NAME> SOUTHWESTERN ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000

                                 
<PERIOD-TYPE>                       12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1999
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
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<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                      5,782
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         159,407
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                         4,974
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                  90,446
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               2,107,798
<COMMON>                                       135,660
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      245,000
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            288,018
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 668,678
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<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                             140,897
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<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      965,027
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            38,506
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     778,997
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     817,503
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        147,524
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                              (1,965)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 145,559
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        58,893
<NET-INCOME>                                    83,655
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        229
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   83,426
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        96,000
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       38,380
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         154,942
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