<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
This schedule  contains summary  financial  information  extracted from the Form
10-Q for March 31,  1996,  and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such
financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000044545
<NAME> GULF POWER COMPANY
<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>                   1,064,629
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                       657
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                        195,258
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       95,095
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                      0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              1,355,639
<COMMON>                                       38,060
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                     218,519
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                           178,621
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                435,200
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                               0
<PREFERRED>                                    89,602
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                          366,815
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                             35,500
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                      18,843
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                      0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  40,578
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                           0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                         0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                    0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                369,101
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               1,355,639
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                     154,921
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            7,278
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                    127,442
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                    134,720
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        20,201
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               (109)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 20,092
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        7,411
<NET-INCOME>                                   12,681
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     1,423
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  11,258
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       12,300
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                           0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         27,901
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                       0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                       0