<ARTICLE> UT
<SUBSIDIARY>
   <NUMBER>  1
   <NAME> POTOMAC CAPITAL INVESTMENT CORPORATION
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                  12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1995
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1995
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1995
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    4,378,269
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                          0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         431,204
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       671,572
<OTHER-ASSETS>                               1,637,105
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               7,118,150
<COMMON>                                       118,495
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                    1,010,521
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            742,296
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               1,871,312
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          143,485
<PREFERRED>                                    125,325
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         1,817,077
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                               3,540<F1>
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                 254,925<F1>
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                   26,280
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                    165,235      
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                20,772
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               2,690,199
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                7,118,150
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    1,876,102
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           128,460 
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   1,399,901
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   1,528,361
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        347,741
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                            (114,300)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 233,441
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       139,050
<NET-INCOME>                                    94,391 
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     16,851
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   77,540 
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       196,469 
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      127,900<F2>
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         376,722
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     $.65 
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0<F3>
<FN>
<F1>Included on the Balance Sheet in the caption "Short-term debt."
<F2>Total annualized interest costs for all utility long-term debt outstanding
at December 31, 1995.
<F3>If all the convertible preferred stock and debentures were converted into
common stock, the result would be anti-dilutive.
</FN>