<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> The schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the Consolidated Balance Sheet at September 30, 1996 and the Consolidated Statement of Income and the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for the nine months ended September 30, 1996 and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements. </LEGEND> <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1996 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 1,336,705 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 64,525 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 94,517 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 22,213 <OTHER-ASSETS> 212,753 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,730,713 <COMMON> 33,427 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 279,042 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 219,206 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 531,675 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 18,320 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 517,279 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 4,230 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 78,000 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 8,140 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 23,002 <LEASES-CURRENT> 13,523 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 536,544 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 1,730,713 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 553,177 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 32,799<F1> <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 442,713 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 442,713<F1> <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 110,464 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> (2,949) <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 107,515 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 33,346 <NET-INCOME> 41,370 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 686 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 40,684 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 34,000 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 38,677 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 136,796 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0 <FN> <F1>Income tax expense is not included in Operating Expense in the Consolidated Statements of Income for IES Utilities Inc. </FN>