<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, 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>                                                  SEP-30-1997
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                                       9-MOS
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                                         1
<BOOK-VALUE>                                                     PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                       3,180,315   
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                       808,430   
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                            481,091
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                                0
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                    480,055
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                  4,949,891
<COMMON>                                                            1,128
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                         729,655
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                             1,173,298
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                  1,904,081
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                   0
<PREFERRED>                                                        30,450
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                            1,112,391
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                 50,495
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                         209,588
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                    112,511
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                     205,520
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                               0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                       166,436
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                   16,055
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                  1,142,364
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                   4,949,891
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                       1,314,211
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                               39,308
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                      1,131,109
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                      1,170,417
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                           143,794
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                   (290)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                    143,504
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                           84,190
<NET-INCOME>                                                       59,314
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                           902
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                      58,412
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                          129,261
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                               0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                            328,634
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                        0.52
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                        0.52
<FN>
   See financial statements and footnotes in accompanying 10-Q.