<ARTICLE>                                                 UT
<LEGEND>
     This section of the schedule contains summary financial information
extracted from the consolidated financial statements and is qualified in its
entirety by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
       
                                                           
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                             3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                         DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                                              MAR-31-1997
<BOOK-VALUE>                                              PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                               728,573
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                              61,227
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                                   77,515
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                                 60,366
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                           57,940
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                          985,621
<COMMON>                                                                 71,647
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                               178,402
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                                     115,589
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                          365,638
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                    37,668
<PREFERRED>                                                                   0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                                    270,724
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                            0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                                     0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                           48,905
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                            25,000
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                                 1,081
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                                   0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                          236,605
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                           985,621
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                                84,039
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                                     15,349
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                               36,563
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                               51,912
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                                  32,127
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                         (652)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                           31,475
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                                  6,722
<NET-INCOME>                                                             24,753
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                 673
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                            24,080
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                  6,770
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                                 5,059
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                                   30,972
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                             $1.07
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                             $1.04