<ARTICLE> OPUR1
<LEGEND>
(Amounts in 1,000's, except earnings per share)
Income tax expense includes $8,977,000 related to other income.
</LEGEND>
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-30-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    5,486,936
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                  1,029,061
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         488,599
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     1,991,279
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               8,995,875
<COMMON>                                     1,373,125
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      570,298
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            542,199
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               2,485,622
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          155,000
<PREFERRED>                                    211,870
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         2,595,408
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                             453,096
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                 119,967
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  272,768
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                        5,000
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                 5,493
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               2,691,651
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                8,995,875
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    1,857,855
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           154,946
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   1,306,900
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   1,452,869
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        404,986
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                              24,861
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 429,847
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       187,340
<NET-INCOME>                                   242,507
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      9,373
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  233,134
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       162,030
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      160,726
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         588,335
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     1.62
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     1.62