<ARTICLE>                     UT
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION
EXTRACTED FROM THE CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME,
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS, AND CONSOLIDATED
BALANCE SHEETS AS OF AND FOR YEAR TO DATE 09/30/97 AND
IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS
</LEGEND>
<CIK>                                0000030371
<NAME>                               DUKE ENERGY CORPORATION
<MULTIPLIER>                         1000
       
                                               
<PERIOD-TYPE>                        YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                    DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                       JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                         SEP-30-1997
<BOOK-VALUE>                         PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                          9,482,100
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                        8,060,600
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                             4,078,300
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                           2,155,000
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                             0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                    23,776,000
<COMMON>                                           4,288,000
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                  0
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                3,309,700
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                     7,597,700
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                229,800
<PREFERRED>                                          450,000
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                               6,010,000
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                    43,600
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                  0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       898,400
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                         84,000
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                              4,200
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                           10,131
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                       1,602
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                     9,113,300
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                     23,776,000
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                         11,719,200
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                 533,200
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                        10,150,900
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                        10,684,100
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                            1,568,300
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                   115,200
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                     1,139,600
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                             349,800
<NET-INCOME>                                         789,800
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                           33,200
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                        756,600
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                             485,730
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                            179,997
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                             1,553,100
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                           2.10
<EPS-DILUTED>                                              0