<ARTICLE> UT
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    2,956,588
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    155,130
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         375,818
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       241,755
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               3,729,291
<COMMON>                                        48,510
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      695,723
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            292,191
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               1,036,424
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                           81,465
<PREFERRED>                                    119,954
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         1,058,644
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                             129,631
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                  71,823
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  100,667
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                        2,000
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               1,128,683
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                3,729,291
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    1,666,303
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            88,703
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   1,329,670
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   1,418,373
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        247,930
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                 698
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 248,628
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       107,082
<NET-INCOME>                                   141,546
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     15,365
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  126,181
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        90,834
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                        3,394
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         356,582
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     2.61
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0