<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>                   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>                          0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         258,732
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     1,496,620
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              10,480,884
<COMMON>                                     1,675,927
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                            0
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                          2,057,649
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               3,733,576
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                           51,055
<PREFERRED>                                    351,345
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         2,709,636
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                 203,648
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  230,130
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                       25,700
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                      4,056
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                 3,624
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               3,168,114
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               10,480,884
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      811,965
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            32,063
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     660,248
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     692,311
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        119,654
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                            (63,979)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  55,675
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        59,230
<NET-INCOME>                                   (3,555)
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      6,632
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                 (10,187)
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        82,250
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       57,488<F1>
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                          77,246
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
<FN>
<F1>Total annual interest charges on all bonds for year-to-date 3/31/96.
</FN>