<ARTICLE> UT
<NAME>   WPL HOLDINGS, INC.
<CIK>    0000352541
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                      1240569
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    2335342
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                          172402
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                        245370
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                    6848
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 1900531
<COMMON>                                           308
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                       303856
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                             303191
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                  607355
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                      59963
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                            362564
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                               43279
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                        56975
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                   59500
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                    67626
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                  643269
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                  1900531
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                       932844
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                             41814
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                      319154
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                      791340
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                         141504
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               15644
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  115334
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                         38819
<NET-INCOME>                                     76515
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       3310
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                    73205
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                         60656
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                        35855
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                          190719
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     2.38
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0<F1>
<FN>
<F1>Applicable accounting rules do not require WPL Holdings, Inc. to report
earnings per share on a fully diluted basis.
</FN>