<ARTICLE>	UT	
<LEGEND>		
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE 		
"CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS, CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME AND
CONSOLIDATED " STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY
BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.		
</LEGEND>		
<MULTIPLIER>            1,000 
       		
                     
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>		DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>		JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>		MAR-31-1996
<PERIOD-TYPE>		3-MOS
<BOOK-VALUE>		PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>               3,759,653
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                     0 
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                    467,322
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                  751,735
<OTHER-ASSETS>                             79,381
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                          5,058,091
<COMMON>                                  762,136
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                 339,101
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                       473,512
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>          1,574,749
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                     160,000
<PREFERRED>                                40,000
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                    1,694,391
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                              0        
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                       0        
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                  0        
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>              10,000        
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                       0        
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                     0        
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                0        
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>          1,578,951     
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>           5,058,091     
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                 574,784       
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                       54,890        
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                399,839       
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                454,729       
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                   120,055       
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                          3,439         
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>            123,494       
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                   31,739
<NET-INCOME>                               91,755
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                 3,474
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>              88,281
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                   41,995
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                  32,100
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                    265,074
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                0.00 
<EPS-DILUTED>                                0.00