<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> EXHIBIT 27(b) The schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the Consolidated Balance Sheet at June 30, 1997 and the Consolidated Statement of Income and the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for the six months ended June 30, 1997 and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements. </LEGEND> <CIK> 0000052485 <NAME> IES UTILITIES INC. <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1997 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 1,344,001 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 79,954 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 117,820 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 10,273 <OTHER-ASSETS> 195,717 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,747,765 <COMMON> 33,427 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 279,042 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 221,622 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 534,091 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 18,320 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 517,265 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 5,000 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 145,000 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 140 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 13,816 <LEASES-CURRENT> 13,923 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 500,210 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 1,747,765 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 396,021 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 14,649<F1> <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 336,995 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 336,995<F1> <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 59,026 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> (560) <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 58,466 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 25,075 <NET-INCOME> 18,742 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 457 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 18,285 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 28,000 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 37,780 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 82,458 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0 <FN> <F1>Income tax expense is not included in Operating Expense in the Consolidated Statements of Income for IES Utilities Inc. </FN>