<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM MINNESOTA POWER'S CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET, STATEMENT OF INCOME, AND STATEMENT OF CASH FLOW FOR THE PERIOD ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1997, AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. </LEGEND> <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1997 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1997 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 1,107,688 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 418,229 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 458,272 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 109,145 <OTHER-ASSETS> 172,275 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,265,609 <COMMON> 410,167 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 0 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 293,109 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 642,322 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 75,000 <PREFERRED> 31,492 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 667,191 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 191,132 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 24,541 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 572,977 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 2,265,609 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 698,682 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 36,954 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 560,514 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 609,772 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 99,511 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 6,073<F1> <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 107,287 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 49,258 <NET-INCOME> 58,029 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 1,462 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 56,567 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 46,418 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 67,813 <EPS-PRIMARY> 1.85 <EPS-DILUTED> 1.85 <FN> <F1>Includes $10,601 of Income from Equity Investment and $4,528 for Distributions on Redeemable Preferred Securities of Subsidiary. </FN>