<ARTICLE> UT <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE>				 3-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1998 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 278,794 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 10,181 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 60,000 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 24,584 <OTHER-ASSETS> 12,202 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 385,761 <COMMON> 29,063 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 58,262 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 47,219 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 134,544 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 90,059 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 47,588 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 20,167 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 1,528 <LEASES-CURRENT> 1,086 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 90,789 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 385,761 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 77,822 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 8,675 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 53,072 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 61,747 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 16,075 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 272 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 16,347 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 2,135 <NET-INCOME> 14,212 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 14,212 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 2,917 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 2,043 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 17,931 <EPS-PRIMARY> 1.63 <EPS-DILUTED> 1.63