UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                  SCHEDULE 13G

                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                                (Amendment No. )*

                       South Carolina Electric & Gas Co..
                                (Name of Issuer)

                           Cumulative Preferred Stock
                         (Title and Class of Securities)

                                    8370042*0
                                 (CUSIP Number)











     *The  remainder  of this cover  page  shall be filled  out for a  reporting
person's  initial  filing on this  form with  respect  to the  subject  class of
securities,  and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would
alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

     The  information  required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be
deemed to be "filed"  for the purpose of Section 18 of the  Securities  Exchange
Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise  subject to the  liabilities of that section of
the Act but shall be subject to all other  provisions of the Act  (however,  see
the Notes).






                          SCHEDULE 13G

CUSIP No.8370042*0                                    Page 2 of 4

1    NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE
PERSONS

          Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company

2    CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*    (a)
                                                          (b)

3    SEC USE ONLY

4    CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

         Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company   State of Iowa



NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH

          5    SOLE VOTING POWER

          Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company             0

          6    SHARED VOTING POWER

          Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company             0

          7    SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

          Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company             0

          8    SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

          Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company             10,401

9    AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

          Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company             10,401

10   CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN
     SHARES*







11   PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)

          Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company              14.7%

12   TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

          Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company              IC






Schedule 13G

ITEM 1(a) Name of Issuer:           South Carolina Electric & Gas Co.

ITEM 1(b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:

                                    1426 Main Street
                                    Columbia, SC 29201

ITEM 2(a) Name of Persons Filing:
     Principal Mutual Life Insurance Co.

ITEM 2(b)Address of Principal Business Office:
     Principal Mutual Life Ins. Co.
     711 High Street
     Des Moines, IA  50392-0088

ITEM 2(c)Citizenship:
     Principal Mutual Life Insurance Co. - State of Iowa

ITEM 2(d)Title of Class of Securities:  Cumulative Preferred Stock

ITEM 2(e)CUSIP Number: 8370042*0

ITEM 3: This  statement is filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b) by a person who is an
insurance company as defined in section 3(a)(19) of the Act.

ITEM 4:     Ownership:

(a) Amount Beneficially Owned:

10,401 Shares Cumulative Preferred Stock presently held by Principal Mutual

(b) Percent of Class:

14.65%     Principal Mutual Life Ins. Co.

(c) Number of shares as to which such person has:

         (i) Sole power to vote or to direct the vote:
0  Principal Mutual Life Ins. Co.

         (ii) Shared power to vote or to direct the vote:
0  Principal Mutual Life Ins. Co.






         (iii) Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of:
10,401 Shares Cumulative Preferred Stock presently held by Principal Mutual  
               Life Ins. Co

         (iv) Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of:
0 Principal Mutual Life Ins. Co.


ITEM 5:     Ownership of 5% or Less of Class:  Not Applicable

ITEM 6:     Ownership of More than 5% on Behalf of Another Person:
                  Not Applicable

ITEM 7:     Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary which Acquired
      the Security being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company: 
                  Not Applicable.

ITEM 8:     Identification and Classification of Members of the Group:
                  Not Applicable

ITEM 9:     Notice of Dissolution of Group:  Not applicable

ITEM 10:  Certification:  By  signing  below I certify  that,  to the best of my
knowledge  and belief,  the  securities  referred to above were  acquired in the
ordinary  course of business and were not acquired for the purpose of and do not
have the effect of  changing  or  influencing  the control of the issuer of such
securities  and were not acquired in connection  with or as a participant in any
transaction having such purposes or effect.

                          SIGNATURE

After  reasonable  inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify
that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

PRINCIPAL MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
By:  INVISTA CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC.


By /s/ Lisa M. Smith
Lisa M. Smith, Financial & Compliance Officer

Dated this 13th day of February, 1998