<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM SOUTHWESTERN PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET AS OF DECEMBER 31, 1996 AND CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME AND CASH FLOWS FOR THE FOUR MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1996 AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. </LEGEND> <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 4-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996 <PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1996 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 1,666,489 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 58,144 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 168,391 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 148,186 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,041,210 <COMMON> 40,918 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 307,484 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 383,350 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 731,752 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 620,400 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 53,836 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 15,231 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 619,991 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 2,041,210 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 295,579 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 15,772 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 232,615 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 248,387 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 47,192 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> (10,017) <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 37,175 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 18,038 <NET-INCOME> 19,137 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 19,137 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 22,504 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 15,548 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 40,989 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0.470 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.470