<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>                                9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-30-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                       4,391    
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                       684    
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                            624 
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                        1,217    
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                      0 
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                  6,916 
<COMMON>                                          841 
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                         402 
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                               429 
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                  1,729    
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                             220    
<PREFERRED>                                       238 
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                              861    
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                302    
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                       1,116    
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                      0 
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                     106   
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                           0 
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                        77 
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                   40    
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                  2,284    
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                   6,916 
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                       2,743 
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                              134    
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                      2,248    
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                      2,382    
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                           361    
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                 36    
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                    397    
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                          131 
<NET-INCOME>                                      266 
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        27    
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                     239 
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          173    
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                           0    
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                            452    
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                       0 
<EPS-DILUTED>                                       0