<ARTICLE>  UT
<CIK> 0000018734
<NAME>  CENTRAL POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY
<SUBSIDIARY>
<NUMBER> 003
<NAME> CENTRAL POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                            DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                                 DEC-31-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                                    PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                      3,263,505
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                        9,616
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                           140,070
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                           4,424
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                 1,239,630
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                 4,657,245
<COMMON>                                                         168,888
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                        405,000
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                              739,031
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                 1,312,919
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                  0
<PREFERRED>                                                      163,204
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                           1,296,762
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                     0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                              0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                         0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                    125,000
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                              0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                            0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                       0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                 1,759,360
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                  4,657,245
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                      1,406,117
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                             116,831
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                     1,006,360
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                     1,123,191
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                          282,926
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                   760
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                   283,686
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                         122,036
<NET-INCOME>                                                     161,650
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                        6,901
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                    154,749
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                         249,000
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                         93,301
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                           438,881
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                       0.00
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                       0.00