<ARTICLE>  UT
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
                                
<PERIOD-TYPE>                      6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                      Dec-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                           Jun-30-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                             PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>               2,357,265
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>               190,006
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                    165,584
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                  186,817
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                  0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                          2,899,672
<COMMON>                                  449,697
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                  (1,714)
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                       451,980
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>            899,963
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                       1,276
<PREFERRED>                                89,000
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                      829,136
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                          8,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                       0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>             61,000
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>              56,591
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                       0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                     0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>            954,706
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>           2,899,672
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                 432,829
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                       32,340
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                323,047
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                355,387
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                    77,442
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                          3,559
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>             81,001
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                   28,804
<NET-INCOME>                               52,197
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                 1,892
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>              50,305
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                   48,284
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                  26,629
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                     95,249
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                0.81
<EPS-DILUTED>                                0.81