<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>

                          UNION ELECTRIC COMPANY
                          10-Q September 30, 1997

                         FINANCIAL DATA SCHEDULE UT
          PUBLIC UTILITY COMPANIES AND PUBLIC UTILITY HOLDING COMPANIES
                 APPENDIX E TO ITEM 601(C) OF REGULATION S-K
               (Thousands of Dollars Except Per Share Amounts)


</LEGEND>
       
                                                                           
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                                                          3-MOS 
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                                                DEC-31-1997 
<PERIOD-START>                                                                   JUL-01-1997 
<PERIOD-END>                                                                     SEP-30-1997 
<BOOK-VALUE>                                                                        PER-BOOK 
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                                          5,395,977 
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                                         119,333 
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                                               532,002 
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                                              37,003 
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                                       824,144 
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                                     6,908,459 
<COMMON>                                                                             510,619 
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                                            716,879 
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                                                1,210,404 
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                                 2,437,902 
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                                      0 
<PREFERRED>                                                                          155,197 
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                                               1,721,951 
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                                     7,000 
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                                                  0 
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                                             0 
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                                           0 
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                                                  0 
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                                           84,801 
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                                      28,749 
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                                     2,472,859 
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                                      6,908,459 
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                                          1,811,566 
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                                                 187,023 
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                                         1,236,226 
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                                         1,423,249 
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                                              388,317 
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                                    (2,936)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                                       385,381 
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                                             100,330 
<NET-INCOME>                                                                         285,051 
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                            6,613 
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                                        278,438 
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                             194,546 
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                                            114,347 
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                                               538,376 
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                                          $2.73 
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                                          $2.73