<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> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1996 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 8,635,587 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 0 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 335,566 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 1,515,794 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 10,486,947 <COMMON> 1,675,927 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 0 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 2,277,465 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 3,953,392 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 351,345 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 2,710,569 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 190,130 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 25,700 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 2,035 <LEASES-CURRENT> 3,630 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 3,250,146 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 10,486,947 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 3,142,234 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 248,767 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 2,258,532 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 2,507,299 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 634,935 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> (67,454) <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 567,481 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 176,034 <NET-INCOME> 391,447 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 17,318 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 374,129 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 246,750 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 167,122<F1> <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 776,565 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0 <FN> <F1>Total annual interest charges on all bonds for year-to-date 9/30/96. </FN>