<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>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               JUN-30-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    8,687,303
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                          0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         301,877
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     1,503,087
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              10,492,267
<COMMON>                                     1,675,927
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                            0
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                          2,119,726
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               3,795,653
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                    351,345
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         2,710,400
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                 245,725
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  190,130
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                       25,700
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                      2,875
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                 3,627
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               3,166,812
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               10,492,267
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    1,911,936
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           114,305
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   1,467,097
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   1,581,402
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        330,534
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                            (65,578)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 264,956
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       118,871
<NET-INCOME>                                   146,085
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     11,945
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  134,140
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       164,500
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      112,430
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         296,678
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0