<ARTICLE> UT <MULTIPLIER> 1,000,000 <CIK> 0000357261 <NAME> FLORIDA PROGRESS CORPORATION <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1998 <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 3,642 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 821 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 811 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 345 <OTHER-ASSETS> 217 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 5,836 <COMMON> 1,208 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 0 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 566 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 1,774 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 34 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 2,342 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 75 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 228 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 6 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 1,377 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 5,836 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 788 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 24 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 670 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 694 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 94 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 0 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 94 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 43 <NET-INCOME> 51 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 51 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 52 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 154 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0.52 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.52