<ARTICLE>                          UT
<LEGEND>
     THIS  SCHEDULE  CONTAINS  SUMMARY  FINANCIAL   INFORMATION  EXTRACTED  FROM
     SOUTHWESTERN  PUBLIC SERVICE  COMPANY BALANCE SHEET AS OF DECEMBER 31, 1998
     AND  STATEMENTS  OF INCOME AND CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED  DECEMBER  31,
     1998 AND IS  QUALIFIED  IN ITS  ENTIRETY  BY  REFERENCE  TO SUCH  FINANCIAL
     STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                             1,000
       
                                
<PERIOD-TYPE>                             YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                  DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-END>                       DEC-31-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                          PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>            1,729,339
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>            124,627
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                 117,537
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>               158,361
<OTHER-ASSETS>                               0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                       2,129,864
<COMMON>                                     0
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>              348,402
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                    389,818
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>         738,220
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                  100,000
<PREFERRED>                                  0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                   530,618
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                       9,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                    0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>          85,162
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>           90,113
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                    0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                  0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                             0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>         576,751
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>        2,129,864
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>              951,187
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                    65,696
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>             719,812
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>             785,508
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                165,679
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                       7,611
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>         173,290
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                58,303
<NET-INCOME>                           114,987
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                  0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>          114,987
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                75,157
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>               54,321
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                 258,449
<EPS-PRIMARY>                            0.000
<EPS-DILUTED>                            0.000