<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  3/31/98  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-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                                    JAN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                      MAR-31-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                      PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                         9,527,800
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                       8,866,400
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                            3,497,000
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                          2,083,400
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                    0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                    23,974,600
<COMMON>                                          4,290,400
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                              0
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                               3,373,900
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                    7,664,300
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                             124,000
<PREFERRED>                                       208,900
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                              6,749,700
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                102,400
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                         0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                    1,912,600
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                     75,500
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                         0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                       9,349
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                  1,679
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                    8,937,100
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                     23,974,600
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                         4,114,800
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                              210,800
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                        3,506,400
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                        3,717,200
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                           608,400
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                69,500
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                    443,700
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                          123,600
<NET-INCOME>                                      320,100
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       6,500
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                     313,600
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          396,306
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                         64,674
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                            514,400
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     0.87 <F1>
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.87
        

<FN>
REPRESENTS BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE
</FN>