<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from balance sheets, income statements and cash flow statements and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements. </LEGEND> <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1997 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 1,705,681 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 39,926 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 175,678 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 413,134 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,334,419 <COMMON> 94,031 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 357,887 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 255,505 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 707,423 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 106,870 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 716,263 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 22,297 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 61,516 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 71 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 719,979 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 2,334,419 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 166,975 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 9,126 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 125,197 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 134,323 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 32,652 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 2,254 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 34,906 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 14,864 <NET-INCOME> 20,042 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 665 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 19,377 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 80,533 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0.52 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.52