<ARTICLE> UT <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1997 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 264,908 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 9,093 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 44,561 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 17,989 <OTHER-ASSETS> 19,871 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 356,422 <COMMON> 28,794 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 56,517 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 31,011 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 116,322 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 100,144 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 44,534 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 10,161 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 1,471 <LEASES-CURRENT> 921 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 84,032 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 356,422 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 82,869 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 4,973 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 95,857 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 112,346 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 13,380 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> (189) <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 14,157 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 5,931 <NET-INCOME> 8,226 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 8,226 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 8,535 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 6,063 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 22,384 <EPS-PRIMARY> 1.01 <EPS-DILUTED> 1.01