<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
This schedule  contains summary  financial  information  extracted from the Form
10-Q for  September  30, 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>                                        9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1995
<PERIOD-END>                                   SEP-30-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                      PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                        1,067,823
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                            654
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                             183,095
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                            82,817
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                           0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                   1,334,389
<COMMON>                                            38,060
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                          218,519
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                190,093
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                     446,672
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                    0 
<PREFERRED>                                         89,602
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                               321,054 
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                  37,500
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                           10,817 
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                           0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                       40,817 
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                0 
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                              0 
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                         0 
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                     387,927 
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                    1,334,389 
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                          488,361 
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                30,634 
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                         383,393 
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                         414,027 
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                             74,334
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                     (54)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                      74,280
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                            22,408
<NET-INCOME>                                        51,872
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          4,312
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                       47,560
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                            37,100
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                             127,876
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                            0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                            0