<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
                                                                      Exhibit 27

                               AMEREN CORPORATION
                               10-Q MARCH 31, 1998
                           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-31-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                                         MAR-31-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                                            PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                              6,961,270
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                              240,082
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                                   684,504
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                                  73,331
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                           838,115
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                         8,797,302
<COMMON>                                                                   1,372
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                              1,582,836
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                                    1,387,312
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                         2,971,520
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                          0
<PREFERRED>                                                              235,197
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                                   2,455,889
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                       112,129
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                                      0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                                 0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                             14,444
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                                      0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                               78,247
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                          30,687
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                         2,899,189
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                          8,797,302
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                                700,810
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                                      29,911
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                               580,467
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                               610,378
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                                   90,432
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                       (2,083)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                            88,349
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                                  45,234
<NET-INCOME>                                                              39,927
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                3,188
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                             39,927
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                  87,132
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS><F1>                                                  0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                                   138,277
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                               0.29
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                               0.29

<FN>
<F1>Required on fiscal year-end only
</FN>