<ARTICLE>  UT
   <LEGEND>                                THIS    SCHEDULE   CONTAINS
                                           SUMMARY           FINANCIAL
                                           INFORMATION  EXTRACTED FROM
                                           THE   CONSOLIDATED  BALANCE
                                           SHEETS,    STATEMENTS    OF
                                           INCOME  AND  STATEMENTS  OF
                                           CASHFLOWS  AND IS QUALIFIED
                                           IN    ITS    ENTIRETY    BY
                                           REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL
                                           STATEMENTS
   <MULTIPLIER>  1,000
          
                                        
   <PERIOD-TYPE>                           3-MOS
   <FISCAL-YEAR-END>                       SEP-30-1994
   <PERIOD-START>                          OCT-01-1994
   <PERIOD-END>                            DEC-31-1994
   <BOOK-VALUE>                            PER-BOOK
   <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                  264,525 
   <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                 52,476 
   <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                      72,147 
   <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                    80,261 
   <OTHER-ASSETS>                                                   0 
   <TOTAL-ASSETS>                                             469,409 
   <COMMON>                                                    30,812 
   <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                   73,906 
   <RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                         45,658 
   <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                             150,376 
   <PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                            0 
   <PREFERRED>                                                    909 
   <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                       153,604 
   <SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                           8,000 
   <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                        0 
   <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                              10,000 
   <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                3,884 
   <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                        0 
   <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                      0 
   <LEASES-CURRENT>                                                 0 
   <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                             142,636 
   <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                              469,409 
   <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                   76,531 
   <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                         4,298 
   <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                  62,856 
   <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                  67,154 
   <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                      9,377 
   <OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                             134 
   <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                               9,511 
   <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                     3,427 
   <NET-INCOME>                                                 6,084 
   <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                     15 
   <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                6,069 
   <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                     3,675 
   <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                      860 
   <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                       1,119 
   <EPS-PRIMARY>                                                 0.61 
   <EPS-DILUTED>                                                 0.61