<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the Form 10-Q for September 30, 1997, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements. </LEGEND> <CIK> 0000003153 <NAME> ALABAMA POWER COMPANY <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1997 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 7,047,212 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 220,495 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 948,356 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 627,932 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 8,843,995 <COMMON> 224,358 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 1,304,744 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 1,246,219 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 2,775,321 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 297,000 <PREFERRED> 278,400 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 2,213,207 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 419,936 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 129,600 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 6,387 <LEASES-CURRENT> 976 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 2,723,168 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 8,843,995 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 2,395,303 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 184,922 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 1,711,689 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 1,896,611 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 498,692 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 13,264 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 511,956 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 184,903 <NET-INCOME> 327,053 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 14,309 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 312,744 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 251,800 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 529,630 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0