<ARTICLE>                                    UT
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from
Southwest Gas Corporation's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1999
and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                 1,000

                                   
<PERIOD-TYPE>                         9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                            DEC-31-1999
<PERIOD-END>                                 SEP-30-1999
<BOOK-VALUE>                                 PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                   1,546,378
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    84,721
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                        124,475
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                            0
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                 47,504
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              1,803,078
<COMMON>                                       32,429
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                     434,196
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            11,093
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                477,718
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                               0
<PREFERRED>                                         0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                          820,161
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                             36,835
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                           0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                      0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                   7,081
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                           0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                         0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                    0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                461,283 <F1>
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               1,803,078
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                     674,606
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            9,509
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                    603,255
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                    603,255
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        71,351
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                             (5,545)<F2>
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 65,806
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                      (45,815)
<NET-INCOME>                                   10,482
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                         0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  10,482
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       18,830
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                           0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                        169,126
<EPS-BASIC>                                    0.34
<EPS-DILUTED>                                    0.34
<FN>
<F1>  Includes:  trust originated preferred securities of $60,000, current liabilities, net of current long-term
debt maturities and short-term debt, of $169,849 and deferred income taxes and other credits of $231,434
<F2>  Includes distributions related to trust originated preferred securities of $4,106
</FN>