<ARTICLE>  UT
<SUBSIDIARY>
<NUMBER> 002
<NAME>  CENTRAL AND SOUTH WEST CORPORTION
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000,000
       
                                      
<PERIOD-TYPE>                            3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                          Dec-31-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                               Mar-31-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                        8,346
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                        264
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                           1,268
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                           502
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                   3,008
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                  13,388
<COMMON>                                                           743
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                        1,040
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                              1,753
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                   3,536
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                               26
<PREFERRED>                                                        176
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                             4,174
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                           40
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                   1,467
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                       26
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                            1
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                          4
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                     2
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                   3,936
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                   13,388
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                        1,257
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                                21
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                       1,073
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                       1,094
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                            163
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                  15
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                     178
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                           116
<NET-INCOME>                                                        62
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                          2
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                       60
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                            92
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                           52
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                             147
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                     0.28
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                     0.28