<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>                                             6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                         DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                                              JUN-30-1997
<BOOK-VALUE>                                              PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                 742,951
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                63,075
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                     54,961
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                   66,449
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                             59,640
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                            987,076
<COMMON>                                                   71,886
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                 179,811
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                       110,407
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                            362,104
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                      36,499
<PREFERRED>                                                     0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                      300,600
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                              0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                       0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                             52,943
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                   0
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                     930
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                     0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                            234,000
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                             987,076
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                 127,765
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                       16,484
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                 71,564
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                 88,048
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                    39,717
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                            841
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                             40,558
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   13,445
<NET-INCOME>                                               27,113
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                 1,339
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                              25,774
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                   13,560
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                  10,141
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                     52,955
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                               $1.14
<EPS-DILUTED>                                               $1.12