<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK>     0000092487    
<NAME> SOUTHWESTERN ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                                                   
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS                    3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                DEC-31-1995             DEC-31-1994
<PERIOD-END>                     MAR-31-1995             MAR-31-1994
<BOOK-VALUE>                        PER-BOOK                PER-BOOK
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<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>              3,458                     0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                 172,568                     0
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                29,423                     0
<OTHER-ASSETS>                          21,868                     0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                       2,084,907                     0
<COMMON>                               135,660                     0
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>              245,000                     0
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                    312,209                     0
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>         692,869                     0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                   34,828                     0
<PREFERRED>                             16,032                     0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                   532,629                     0
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                           0                     0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>               50,000                     0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>               0                     0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>              145                     0
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                1,200                     0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>             11,860                     0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                         5,100                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>         740,244                     0
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>        2,084,907                     0
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>              169,240               190,066
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                     5,211                 4,588
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>             137,442               160,658
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>             142,653               165,246
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                 26,587                24,820
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                       1,859                 1,717
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>          28,446                26,537
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                12,921                12,000
<NET-INCOME>                            15,525                14,537
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                778                   840
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>           14,747                13,697
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     0                 6,000
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>               11,321                10,813
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                  15,791                44,825
<EPS-PRIMARY>                              .08                   .07
<EPS-DILUTED>                              .08                   .07