<ARTICLE> UT <CIK> 0000838868 <NAME> UPPER PENINSULA ENERGY CORP <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1997 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1997 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 102,927 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 11,371 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 17,032 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 3,797 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 135,127 <COMMON> 0 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 21,129 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 21,174 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 42,303 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 445 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 43,083 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 9,600 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 253 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 39,443 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 135,127 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 44,992 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 1,684 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 37,712 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 39,396 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 5,596 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 216 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 5,812 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 3,352 <NET-INCOME> 2,460 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 17 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 2,443 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 2,844 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 3,878 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 3,939 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0.82 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.82