<ARTICLE>  UT
<CIK>   0000018734
<NAME>  CENTRAL POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY
<SUBSIDIARY>
<NUMBER> 003
<NAME> CENTRAL POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000

                                     
<PERIOD-TYPE>                           12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                DEC-31-2000
<PERIOD-END>                                     MAR-31-2000
<BOOK-VALUE>                                        PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                          3,246,411
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                            2,546
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                               179,949
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                               5,939
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                     1,325,417
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                     4,760,262
<COMMON>                                             168,888
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                            405,000
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                  733,957
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                     1,307,845
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                      0
<PREFERRED>                                            5,967
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                               1,254,551
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   159,892
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            350,000
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                             0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                        100,000
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                  0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                           0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                     1,582,007
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                      4,760,262
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                            316,328
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                   5,590
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                           271,435
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                           277,025
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                               39,303
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                       547
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                        39,850
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              31,058
<NET-INCOME>                                           8,792
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                               60
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                          8,732
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                              39,000
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                             19,701
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                95,383
<EPS-BASIC>                                              0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                              0