<ARTICLE>                                           UT
<LEGEND>
     This schedule contains summary financial 
information extracted from Public Service Company
of Colorado and Subsidiaries consolidated balance
sheet as of March 31,1996 and consolidated statements
of income  and cash flows for the three months ended
March 31, 1996
</LEGEND>            
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1995
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    3,467,182
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                     35,553
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         461,767
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       375,770
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               4,340,272
<COMMON>                                       319,235
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      694,129
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            374,477
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               1,387,841
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                           41,289
<PREFERRED>                                    140,008
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         1,193,862
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                              68,425
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                 199,495
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                   67,895
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                        2,576
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                     48,000
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                 4,577
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               1,238,881
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                4,340,272
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      622,917
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            41,146
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                      76,646
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     520,827
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        102,090
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                              (2,017)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 100,073
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        35,644
<NET-INCOME>                                    64,429
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      2,972
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   61,457
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        33,520
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                            0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         123,296
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                    0.525
<EPS-DILUTED>                                    0.525