<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK>    0000940170
<NAME>   ENOVA CORPORATION
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1997
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    3,025,878
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    727,592
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         425,269
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                        93,475
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                 312,096
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               4,584,310
<COMMON>                                       284,036
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      507,694
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            715,012
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               1,506,742
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                           25,000
<PREFERRED>                                     78,475
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         1,188,148
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                      238,929
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                   46,827
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                     95,194
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                 6,644
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               1,398,351
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                4,584,310
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      507,930
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            24,373
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     414,162
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     438,535
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                         69,395
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               6,086
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  75,481
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        26,615
<NET-INCOME>                                    48,866
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   48,866
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        45,567
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       17,925
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         147,667
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                      .42 
<EPS-DILUTED>                                      .42