<ARTICLE>  UT
                                                 EXHIBIT 27.01


<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Statements of Income and Retained Earnings, Balance Sheets and Statements 
of Cash Flows and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial 
statements.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                      665,603
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                     10,232
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                          86,933
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                        46,363
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 809,131
<COMMON>                                        86,200
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                       10,461
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            234,751
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 331,412
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           231,688
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                       39,300
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                        0
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 206,731
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                  809,131
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      465,829
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            24,688
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     384,535
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     409,223
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                         56,606
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               1,016
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  57,622
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        18,925
<NET-INCOME>                                    38,697
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   38,697
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        25,584
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       15,918
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                          70,525
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                    44.89
<EPS-DILUTED>                                    44.89