<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000022198
<NAME> COLUMBUS SOUTHERN POWER COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                                        
<PERIOD-TYPE>                              12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    1,901,522
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                     33,653
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         252,516
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                        66,688
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                 359,481
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               2,613,860
<COMMON>                                        41,026
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      572,112
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            138,172
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 751,310
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                           25,000
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           887,850
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                               4,300
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                  62,300
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                   81,750
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                     32,649
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                 5,938
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 762,763
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                2,613,860
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    1,139,604
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            71,726
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     872,751
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     944,477
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        195,127
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               3,137
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 198,264
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        78,885
<NET-INCOME>                                   119,379
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      2,442
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  116,937
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        78,684
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       55,156
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         158,740
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0<F1>
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0<F1>
<FN>
<F1> All common stock owned by parent company; no EPS required.
</FN>