<ARTICLE>                                                              UT
<LEGEND>    THE SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED
            FROM THE UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF WISCONSIN ENERGY
            CORPORATION FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 1997 AND IS
            QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL
            STATEMENTS.
<MULTIPLIER>                                                        1,000
       
                                                           
<CURRENCY>                                                   U.S. DOLLARS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                             DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                                JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                                  MAR-31-1997
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                                       3-MOS
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                                         1
<BOOK-VALUE>                                                     PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                       3,063,405
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                       709,170
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                            556,584
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                                0
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                    494,366
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                  4,823,525
<COMMON>                                                            1,123
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                         716,385
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                             1,246,708
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                  1,964,216
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                   0
<PREFERRED>                                                        30,450
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                            1,171,696
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                 25,495
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                         209,764
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                     35,913
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                     170,475
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                               0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                        27,794
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                   12,197
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                  1,175,525
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                   4,823,525
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                         510,383
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                               25,612
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                        419,134
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                        444,746
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                            65,637
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                  7,285
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                     72,922
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                           27,552
<NET-INCOME>                                                       45,370
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                           301
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                      45,069
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                           42,508
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                               0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                            161,264
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                         .40
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                         .40
<FN>
   See financial statements and footnotes in accompanying 10-Q.