<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from HL&P's
financial statements and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such
financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000048732
<NAME> HOUSTON LIGHTING & POWER COMPANY
       
                     
<PERIOD-TYPE>           12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1994
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1994
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    8,976,029
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                          0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         501,656
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     1,373,296
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              10,850,981
<COMMON>                                     1,675,927
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                            0
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                          2,153,109
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               3,829,036
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          121,910
<PREFERRED>                                    351,345
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         3,176,612
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                      164
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                       45,700
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                      8,792
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                 3,611
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               3,313,811
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               10,850,981
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    3,746,085
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           254,993
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   2,748,210
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   3,003,203
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        742,882
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               1,554
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 744,436
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       249,472
<NET-INCOME>                                   486,764<F1>
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     33,583
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  453,181
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       328,996
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      246,227
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                       1,226,911
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
<FN>
<F1>Includes reduction to net income for the cumulative effect of change in
    accounting for postemployment benefits of $8,200.
</FN>