<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE
STATEMENT OF INCOME, STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS, BALANCE SHEET AND IS QUALIFIED IN
ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000762129
<NAME> CILCORP INC.
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               JUN-30-1997
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                      866,929
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                     20,091
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         170,792
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                        45,322
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                 156,919
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               1,260,053
<COMMON>                                       190,760
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                            0
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            176,224
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 366,984
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                           22,000
<PREFERRED>                                     44,120
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           310,180
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                              35,700
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                   13,686
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                      2,406
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                   421
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 464,556
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                1,260,053
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      366,626
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                             6,912
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     328,070
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     334,982
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                         31,644
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               (572)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  31,072
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        13,939
<NET-INCOME>                                    17,133
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      1,597
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   15,536
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        16,741
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       10,104
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                          61,395
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     1.14
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     1.14