<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>                        THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL
                                INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE BALANCE SHEET,
                                INCOME STATEMENT AND CASH FLOW STATEMENT OF
                                ILLINOIS POWER COMPANY AND IS QUALIFIED IN
                                ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO THE BALANCE 
                                SHEET, INCOME STATEMENT AND CASH FLOW
                                STATEMENT OF ILLINOIS POWER COMPANY.
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1997
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                         4678
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                          6
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                             415
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                           453
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                    5552
<COMMON>                                          1326
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                            0
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                272
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                    1598
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                              197
<PREFERRED>                                         96
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                              1577
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                  75
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                     176
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                       11
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                         61
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                    36
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                    1725
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                     5552
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                          473
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                36
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                         348
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                         384
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                             89
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                 (1)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                      88
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                            33
<NET-INCOME>                                        55
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          5
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                       50
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                            24
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                           28
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                             129
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0