<ARTICLE> UT <CIK> 0000055373 <NAME> KENTUCKY 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> 710,637 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 6,591 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 69,239 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 10,159 <OTHER-ASSETS> 90,045 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 886,671 <COMMON> 50,450 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 128,750 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 78,076 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 257,276 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 341,051 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 36,500 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 0 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 15,006 <LEASES-CURRENT> 3,719 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 233,119 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 886,671 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 359,543 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 12,140 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 300,547 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 312,687 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 46,856 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> (464) <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 46,392 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 25,646 <NET-INCOME> 20,746 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 20,746 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 26,760 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 14,867 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 41,265 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0<F1> <EPS-DILUTED> 0<F1> <FN> <F1> All common stock owned by parent company; no EPS required. </FN>