<ARTICLE>  UT
<SUBSIDIARY> 
<NUMBER> 001
<NAME>  CENTRAL AND SOUTH WEST CORPORTION
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000,000
       
                                           
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                         DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                              JUN-30-1997
<BOOK-VALUE>                                                 PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                       8,371
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                       171
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                          1,681
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                          506
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                  2,694
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                 13,423
<COMMON>                                                          743
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                       1,039
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                             1,925
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                  3,707
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                              28
<PREFERRED>                                                       500
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                            3,932
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                  0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                          40
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                  1,108
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                     200
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                           1
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                         7
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                    3
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                  3,897
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                  13,423
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                       2,462
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                               52
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                      2,114
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                      2,166
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                           296
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                 15
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                    311
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                          206
<NET-INCOME>                                                      105
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                         7
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                     108
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                          184
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                         112
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                            170
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                    0.51
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                    0.51