<ARTICLE>                                                              UT
<LEGEND>    THE SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED
            FROM THE UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF WISCONSIN ENERGY
            CORPORATION FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1996 AND
            IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL
            STATEMENTS.
<MULTIPLIER>                                                        1,000
       
                                                           
<CURRENCY>                                                   U.S. DOLLARS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                             DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                                                JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                                                  SEP-30-1996
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                                       9-MOS
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                                         1
<BOOK-VALUE>                                                     PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                       2,971,049
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                       676,901
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                            465,475
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                                0
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                    492,326
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                  4,605,751
<COMMON>                                                            1,111
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                         685,359
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                             1,230,087
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                  1,916,557
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                   0
<PREFERRED>                                                        30,450
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                            1,103,293
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                 62,804
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                         207,350
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                    107,729
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                      35,475
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                               0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                        19,957
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                   20,275
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                  1,101,861
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                   4,605,751
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                       1,295,944
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                               98,368
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                        967,356
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                      1,065,724
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                           230,220
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                 11,758
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                    241,978
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                           79,288
<NET-INCOME>                                                      162,690
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                           902
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                     161,788
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                          124,949
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                               0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                            411,117
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                        1.46
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                        1.46
<FN>
   See financial statements and footnotes in accompanying 10-Q.