<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE UTILITY
GROUP'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO
SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>  0000018672
<NAME>  CLECO UTILITY GROUP, INC.
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1999
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-30-1999
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    1,029,375
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                      2,365
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         194,776
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       290,536
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                   8,518
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               1,525,570
<COMMON>                                        45,064
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      125,914
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            253,767
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 424,745
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           120,322
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                      240,000
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                   45,000
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 695,503
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                1,525,570
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      619,262
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            24,794
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     526,849
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     551,643
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                         67,619
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               (403)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  67,216
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        20,899
<NET-INCOME>                                    46,317
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      1,047
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   45,270
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        28,370
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                        6,882
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         124,668
<EPS-BASIC>                                          0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0