<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 9/30/98 AND IS
                                         QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE
                                         TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
</LEGEND>
<CIK>                                    0000030371
<NAME>                                   DUKE ENERGY CORPORATION
<MULTIPLIER>                             1000
       
                                      
<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>                      9,528,400
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                   10,066,800
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         4,687,300
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       1,901,400
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                         0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                26,183,900
<COMMON>                                       4,365,200
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                              0
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            3,679,600
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 8,044,800
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                            104,000
<PREFERRED>                                      208,900
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           6,613,600
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                25,700
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                              0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                 1,841,200
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                    255,300
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                         20,000
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                        8,529
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                   1,758
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                10,520,400
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                 26,183,900
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                     13,426,700
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                             647,700
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                    11,443,700
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                    12,091,400
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        1,983,000
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               148,200
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 1,413,400
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                         385,100
<NET-INCOME>                                   1,028,300
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       16,500
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  1,011,800
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                         594,900
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                        146,300
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         1,756,200
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                       2.81 <F1>
<EPS-DILUTED>                                       2.80
        
<FN>
<F1> REPRESENTS BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE
</FN>