<ARTICLE>  UT
<CIK>  0000105860
<NAME>  WEST TEXAS UTILITIES COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                                         
<PERIOD-TYPE>                               6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                        DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                             JUN-30-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                                PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                    674,292
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                      917
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                        73,341
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                      16,045
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                40,823
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                               805,418
<COMMON>                                                     137,214
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                      2,236
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                          123,738
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                               263,188
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                              0
<PREFERRED>                                                    2,483
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                         280,426
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                             1,690
<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>                               257,631
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                805,418
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                    188,301
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                           5,081
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                   160,683
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                   165,764
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                       22,537
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                             1,750
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                24,287
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                      11,976
<NET-INCOME>                                                  12,311
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                       52
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                 12,259
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                       8,000
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                     10,176
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                        15,747
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                   0.00
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                   0.00