<ARTICLE>  UT
<CIK>  0000105860
<NAME>  WEST TEXAS UTILITIES COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                                         
<PERIOD-TYPE>                               3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                        DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                             MAR-31-1997
<BOOK-VALUE>                                                PER-BOOK
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<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                42,979
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                               816,398
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<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                      2,236
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                          120,872
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                               260,322
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                              0
<PREFERRED>                                                    6,291
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                         275,963
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                 0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                          0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                     0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                      0
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                          0
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<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                   0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                               273,822
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<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                    84,263
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                    84,761
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                        7,885
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                               148
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                 8,033
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                       6,172
<NET-INCOME>                                                   1,861
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                       66
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                  1,795
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                       4,000
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                      5,088
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                        (8,237)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                   0.00
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                   0.00