<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Company's and HL&P's financial statements and is qualified in its entirety by
reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0000202131
<NAME>  Houston Industries Incorporated
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    8,725,532
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                  1,170,719
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         291,658
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     1,525,926
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              11,713,835
<COMMON>                                     2,179,986
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                            0
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                          1,843,723
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               4,022,165
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                           51,055
<PREFERRED>                                    351,345
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         3,058,596
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                        2,500
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                 290,228
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  430,130
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                       25,700
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                      4,056
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                 3,624
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               3,472,892
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               11,713,835
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      824,421
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           (9,910)
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                      25,793
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     686,954
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        137,467
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                            (85,201)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  52,266
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        72,284
<NET-INCOME>                                  (10,108)
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      6,632
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                 (16,740)
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        93,209
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       57,488<F1>
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                          79,938
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                   (0.07)
<EPS-DILUTED>                                   (0.07)
<FN>
<F1>Total annual interest charges on all bonds for year-to-date 3/31/96.
</FN>