<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>