WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.

  

<ARTICLE>                          UT
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE  CONTAINS  SUMMARY  FINANCIAL  INFORMATION  EXTRACTED  FROM PUBLIC
SERVICE COMPANY OF COLORADO AND  SUBSIDIARIES  CONSOLIDATED  BALANCE SHEET AS OF
DECEMBER 31, 1997 AND  CONSOLIDATED  STATEMENTS OF INCOME AND CASH FLOWS FOR THE
YEAR ENDED  DECEMBER  31, 1997 AND IS  QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO
SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                             1,000
       
                                
<PERIOD-TYPE>                             YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                  DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                       DEC-31-1997
<BOOK-VALUE>                          PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>            3,724,860
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>            330,014
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                 562,607
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>               377,252
<OTHER-ASSETS>                               0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                       4,994,733
<COMMON>                                     1
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>            1,302,118
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                    319,280
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>       1,621,399
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                   39,253
<PREFERRED>                            140,002
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                 1,298,538
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                      50,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                    0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>         298,555
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>          252,369
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                2,576
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>             39,600
<LEASES-CURRENT>                         4,791
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>       1,247,650
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>        4,994,733
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>            2,229,643
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                    90,813
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>           1,801,477
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>           1,892,290
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                337,353
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                       2,891
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>         340,244
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>               136,202
<NET-INCOME>                            93,477
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>             11,752
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>           81,725
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>               152,295
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>              118,438
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                 263,912
<EPS-PRIMARY>                            0.000
<EPS-DILUTED>                            0.000