<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> 0000066904
<NAME> MISSISSIPPI 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>                    977,509
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    3,403
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                        99,283
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                      54,830
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                     0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                             1,135,025
<COMMON>                                      37,691
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                    179,761
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                          158,553
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               376,005
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                              0 
<PREFERRED>                                   74,414
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         288,901 
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                            31,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                          0 
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                     0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                 37,229 
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                          0 
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                        0 
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                   0 
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               327,476 
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>              1,135,025 
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    126,954 
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           7,139 
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   101,741 
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   108,880 
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                       18,074
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                             1,029
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                19,103
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       6,183
<NET-INCOME>                                  12,920
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                    1,225
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                 11,695
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      10,600
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                          0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         3,950
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                      0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                      0