<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> 0000086940 <NAME> SAVANNAH ELECTRIC AND 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> 447,854 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 1,784 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 68,397 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 38,513 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 556,548 <COMMON> 54,223 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 8,688 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 115,329 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 178,240 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 35,000 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 124,599 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 10,000 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 21,100 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 6,052 <LEASES-CURRENT> 642 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 180,915 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 556,548 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 175,361 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 15,087 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 128,000 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 143,087 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 32,274 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 556 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 32,830 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 9,130 <NET-INCOME> 23,700 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 1,743 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 21,957 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 16,000 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 44,776 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0