<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
This schedule  contains summary  financial  information  extracted from the Form
10-Q for June 30,  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>                                            6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                  DEC-31-1995
<PERIOD-END>                                       JUN-30-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                          PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                              982,356
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                              3,108
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                 108,447
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                57,641
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                               0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                       1,151,552
<COMMON>                                                37,691
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                              179,761
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                    159,254
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                         376,706
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                        0
<PREFERRED>                                             74,414
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                   246,235
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                      55,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                               30,000
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                               0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                           35,010
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                    0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                  0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                             0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                         334,187
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                        1,151,552
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                              263,703
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                    14,093
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                             213,845
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                             227,938
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                 35,765
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                       2,011
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                          37,776
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                12,232
<NET-INCOME>                                            25,544
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                              2,449
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                           23,095
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                21,300
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                    0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                  26,630
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                0