<ARTICLE>  UT
<CIK>  0000018734
<NAME>  CENTRAL POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                                         
<PERIOD-TYPE>                               9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                      DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                                           SEP-30-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                              PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                3,393,379
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                  1,491
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                     227,981
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                    26,981
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                           1,216,738
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                           4,866,570
<COMMON>                                                   168,888
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                  405,000
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                        872,290
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                           1,446,178
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                            0
<PREFERRED>                                                250,351
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                     1,521,652
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                          58,055
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                        0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                               60,000
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                        0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                    103
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                80
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                           1,530,151
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                            4,866,570
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                1,026,352
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                        85,805
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                 699,598
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                 785,403
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                    240,949
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                         (10,773)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                             230,176
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                    96,147
<NET-INCOME>                                               134,029
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                 10,183
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                              123,846
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                   115,000
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                   83,072
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                     330,402
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                 0.60
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                 0.60