<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>                                                JUN-30-1996
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                               6-MOS
<BOOK-VALUE>                                                PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                             3,756,399
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                                   0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                                  431,747
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                                709,475
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                           87,059
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                        4,984,680
<COMMON>                                                                762,136
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                               339,099
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                                     464,351
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                        1,565,586
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                   160,000
<PREFERRED>                                                              40,000
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                                  1,694,627
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                            0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                                     0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                                0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                                 0
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                                     0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                                   0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                        1,524,467
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                         4,984,680
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                             1,012,113
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                                     74,227
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                              748,379
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                              822,606
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                                 189,507
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                        3,924
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                          193,431
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                                 62,247
<NET-INCOME>                                                            131,184
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                               6,948
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                           124,236
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                 87,111
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                                63,088
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                                  344,993
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                              0.00
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                              0.00