<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from HL&P's 
financial statements and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such 
financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0000048732
<NAME>   Houston Lighting & Power Company
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1995
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1995
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1995
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    8,769,626
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                          0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         371,163
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       903,146
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                 621,324
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              10,665,259
<COMMON>                                     1,675,927
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                            0
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                          2,150,086
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               3,826,013
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                           51,055
<PREFERRED>                                    351,345
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         2,984,570
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  150,130
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                       25,700
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                      4,939
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                 3,621
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               3,267,886
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               10,665,259
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    3,680,297
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           245,807
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   2,699,826
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   2,945,633
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        734,664
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                             (5,923)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 728,741
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       247,809
<NET-INCOME>                                   480,932
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     29,955
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  450,977
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       454,000
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      244,310
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         867,690
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0