<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>                   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>                  1,621,930
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         332,770
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     1,532,783
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              12,174,786
<COMMON>                                     2,155,504
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                            0
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                          1,896,173
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               4,051,677
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                    351,345
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         3,059,406
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                        2,544
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                 829,592
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  390,130
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                       25,700
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                      2,875
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                 3,627
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               3,457,890
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               12,174,786
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    1,938,184
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            60,589
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   1,514,437
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   1,514,437
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        423,747
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                            (72,675)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 351,072
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       149,944
<NET-INCOME>                                   140,539
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     11,945
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  128,594
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       186,093
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      112,430
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         275,598
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     0.52
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.52