<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
This  schedule  contains  summary  financial   information  extracted  from  the
financial  statements  filed as Exhibit 99 and is  qualified  in its entirity by
reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 044545
<NAME> GULF POWER COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                         
<PERIOD-TYPE>               12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                      DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                           DEC-31-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                              PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                1,063,730
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    652
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                     165,042
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                    78,942
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                   0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                           1,308,366
<COMMON>                                    38,060
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                  218,519
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                        179,179
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>             435,758
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                            0
<PREFERRED>                                 89,602
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                       321,553
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                          25,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                   51,299
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                   0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>              (40,972)
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                  (24,500)
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                      0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>             450,626
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>            1,308,366
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                  634,365
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                        37,821
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                 502,752
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                 540,573
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                     93,792
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                             491
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>              94,283
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                    30,673
<NET-INCOME>                                63,610
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                  5,765
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>               57,845
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                    58,300
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                   22,751
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                     160,885
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                    0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                    0