<ARTICLE>  UT
<CIK>  0000105860
<NAME>  WEST TEXAS UTILITIES 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>                                  666,939
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                    500
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                      61,143
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                     7,447
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                              59,391
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                             795,420
<COMMON>                                                   137,214
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                    2,236
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                        125,627
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                             265,077
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                            0
<PREFERRED>                                                  6,291
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                       274,178
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                           4,152
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                        0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                    0
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                        0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                      0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                             245,722
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                              795,420
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                  295,690
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                        14,402
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                 232,669
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                 247,071
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                     48,619
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                         (10,056)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                              38,563
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                    19,508
<NET-INCOME>                                                19,055
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                    198
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                               18,857
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                    19,000
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                   16,407
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                      66,444
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                 0.09
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                 0.09