<ARTICLE>                                           UT
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE  CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL  INFORMATION  EXTRACTED FROM THE MARCH
31, 1999 FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS INCLUDED IN IES UTILITIES INC.'S FORM 10-Q AND IS
QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>                         0000052485
<NAME>                        IES UTILITIES INC.
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1999
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-1999
<PERIOD-END>                                   MAR-31-1999
<BOOK-VALUE>                                   PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                      1,352,871
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    107,220
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         99,120
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       15,201
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                 133,491
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 1,707,903
<COMMON>                                       33,427
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      279,042
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            245,626
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 558,095
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          0
<PREFERRED>                                    18,320
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           551,086
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                             9,694
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                      0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                 0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  51,140
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                      0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                    11,427
<LEASES-CURRENT>                               12,132
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 496,009
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                  1,707,903
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      209,265
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           10,216  <F1>
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     173,092
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     173,092 <F1>
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        36,173
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                             1,706
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 37,879
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       13,204
<NET-INCOME>                                   14,459
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                    229
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  14,230
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       43,976
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      42,615
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         53,086
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                  0  <F2>
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  0  <F2>
        
<FN>
<F1>   Income  tax  expense  is  not  included  in  Operating   Expense  in  the
       Consolidated Statements of Income.
<F2>   Earnings  per share of common stock is not  reflected  because all common
       shares are held by Interstate Energy Corporation.
</FN>