<ARTICLE>     UT
<LEGEND>
  THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM
  THE STATEMENT OF INCOME, STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS, BALANCE SHEET, AND
  STATEMENT OF COMMON STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY, AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS
  ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>         0000201533
<NAME>        CONSUMERS ENERGY COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER>  1,000,000
<PERIOD-TYPE>                              12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                       4,428   
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                       695   
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                            734 
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                        1,168   
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                      0 
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                  7,025
<COMMON>                                          841    
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                         504    
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                               297    
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                  1,679    
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                             100 
<PREFERRED>                                       356 
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                            1,475
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                333 
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                         425  
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                      0 
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                      59   
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                           0 
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                       100   
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                   39   
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                  2,496    
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                   7,025 
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                       3,770
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                              150  
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                      3,173  
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                      3,335    
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                           435   
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                  1    
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                    448   
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                          152 
<NET-INCOME>                                      296
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        36 
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                     260 
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          200   
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                         133    
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                            672
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                       0 
<EPS-DILUTED>                                       0