<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
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                              1,847,189
<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
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                          0
<PREFERRED>                                                4,706
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                     605,973
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                       140,897
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                      0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                 0
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<LEASES-CURRENT>                                               0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                           641,949
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                          2,107,798
<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
<EPS-BASIC>                                                    0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                  0