<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
THIS STATEMENT CONTAINS SUMMARY INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE CONSOLIDATED
BALANCE SHEET AT 12/31/97, THE CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENT AND CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE TWELVE MONTHS ENDED 12/31/97 AND IS QUALIFIED IN
ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    1,531,238
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    655,304
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         243,176
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       371,978
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               2,801,696
<COMMON>                                       694,561
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                        2,106
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            314,922
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               1,011,589
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                           65,000
<PREFERRED>                                     57,654
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           652,256
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                             133,958
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                   80,869
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                        912
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                   790
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 798,668
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                2,801,696
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    1,023,597
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            61,870
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     807,095
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     868,965
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        154,632
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                              34,159
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 188,791
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        60,159
<NET-INCOME>                                   128,632
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      3,690
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  124,942
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        87,494
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       45,332
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         201,091
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     2.29
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     2.28