<ARTICLE> UT
<NAME>  WISCONSIN POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY
<CIK>   0000107832
<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>                     107422
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                          106188
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                        223635
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 1677814
<COMMON>                                         66183
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                       199170
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                             310805
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                  576158
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                      59963
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                            258660
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                               10000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                        56975
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                   59500
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                    55000
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                  601558
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                  1677814
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                       759275
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                             53808
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                      141885
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                      602933
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                         156342
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                8215
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  110749
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                         28264
<NET-INCOME>                                     82485
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       3310
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                    79175
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                         66088
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                        28786
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                          188129
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0<F1>
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
<FN>
<F1>Earnings per share of common stock is not reflected because all of such shares
are held by WPL Holdings, Inc.
</FN>