<ARTICLE> OPUR1
<MULTIPLIER>  1,000
<CIK>  0000048732
<NAME>  HOUSTON INDUSTRIES INCORPORATED
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-30-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    9,552,268
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                  3,742,702
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                       2,214,410
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     4,040,450
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              19,549,830
<COMMON>                                     2,890,846
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                            0
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                          1,956,048
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               4,846,894
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                      9,740
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         5,934,342
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                      452,900
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>               1,465,250
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  610,923
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                     14,760
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                 1,139
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               6,213,882
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>               19,549,830
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    8,844,237
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           152,528
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   7,597,219
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   7,597,219
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                      1,247,018
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                           (436,871)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 810,147<F1>
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       397,197
<NET-INCOME>                                   260,422
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        292
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  260,130
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       317,137
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      255,333
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                       1,174,079
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     0.92
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.91
<FN>
<F1>TOTAL ANNUAL INTEREST CHARGES ON ALL BONDS IS AS OF YEAR-TO-DATE 9/30/98.
</FN>