<ARTICLE> UT <MULTIPLIER> 1,000,000 <CIK> 0000357261 <NAME> FLORIDA PROGRESS CORPORATION <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1997 <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 3,526 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 870 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 764 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 123 <OTHER-ASSETS> 180 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 5,463 <COMMON> 1,209 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 0 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 704 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 1,913 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 34 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 1,820 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 56 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 25 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 1,615 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 5,463 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 748 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 20 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 653 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 673 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 75 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> (1) <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 74 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 32 <NET-INCOME> 42 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 42 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 51 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 89 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0.43 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.43