<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK>  0000018734
<NAME> CENTRAL POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                                                          
<PERIOD-TYPE>              YEAR                YEAR                 YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                 DEC-31-1994         DEC-31-1993         DEC-31-1992
<PERIOD-END>                      DEC-31-1994         DEC-31-1993         DEC-31-1992
<BOOK-VALUE>                         PER-BOOK            PER-BOOK          PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>           3,469,826           3,453,306                  0
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>             2,086               1,781                  0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                176,742             169,590                  0
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>            1,099,256           1,088,215                  0
<OTHER-ASSETS>                         74,789              68,853                  0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                      4,822,699           4,781,745                  0
<COMMON>                              168,888             168,888                  0
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>             405,000             405,000                  0
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                   857,466             850,307                  0
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>      1,431,354           1,424,195                  0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                       0              22,021                  0
<PREFERRED>                           250,351             250,351                  0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                1,466,393           1,362,799                  0
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                          0                   0                  0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                   0                   0                  0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>              0                   0                  0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>             723                 459                  0
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                   0               3,469                  0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>               224               1,443                  0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                           67                 521                  0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>      1,673,587           1,716,487                  0
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>       4,822,699           4,781,745                  0
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>           1,217,979           1,223,528          1,113,423
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                   75,356              65,186             77,272
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>            886,372             968,263            769,486
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>            961,728           1,033,449            846,758
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>               256,251             190,079            266,665
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                     70,487             105,734             83,825
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>        326,738             295,813            350,490
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>              121,299             172,425            131,979
<NET-INCOME>                          205,439             145,130            218,511
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>            13,804              14,003             16,070
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>         191,635             158,422            202,441
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>              183,000             172,000            193,000
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>             111,408             112,939            125,476
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                311,475             278,567            303,750
<EPS-PRIMARY>                            1.01                 .84               1.07
<EPS-DILUTED>                            1.01                 .84               1.07