<ARTICLE> UT <CIK> 0000060549 <NAME> LOUISVILLE GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1998 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 1,701,953 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 1,267 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 284,565 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 58,465 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,046,250 <COMMON> 424,334 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 105 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 261,386 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 685,825 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 46,223 <PREFERRED> 49,105 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 626,800 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 20,000 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 618,297 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 2,046,250 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 233,344 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 12,417 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 188,601 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 201,018 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 32,326 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 311 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 32,637 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 9,238 <NET-INCOME> 23,399 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 1,123 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 22,276 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 19,800 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 8,819 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 81,411 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0