<ARTICLE>  UT
<SUBSIDIARY>
<NUMBER> 006
<NAME>  WEST TEXAS UTILITIES COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                                         
<PERIOD-TYPE>                               3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                        DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                             MAR-31-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                                PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                    667,960
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                      979
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                        70,109
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                      15,752
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                41,770
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                               796,570
<COMMON>                                                     137,214
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                      2,236
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                          118,543
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                               257,993
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                              0
<PREFERRED>                                                    2,483
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                         279,533
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                             6,037
<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>                               250,524
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                796,570
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                     83,948
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                             945
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                    74,935
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                    75,880
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                        8,068
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                             1,003
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                 9,071
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                       5,981
<NET-INCOME>                                                   3,090
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                       26
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                  3,064
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                       4,000
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                      5,088
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                         9,472
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                   0.00
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                   0.00