<ARTICLE> OPUR1
<LEGEND>
(Amounts in 1,000's, except earnings per share)
Income tax expense includes $16,082,000 related to other income.
</LEGEND>
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-30-1997
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    5,179,897
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                  1,157,876
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         488,137
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     1,895,392
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               8,721,302
<COMMON>                                     1,373,125
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      579,828
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            630,489
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               2,583,442
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          150,000
<PREFERRED>                                    211,870
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         2,401,833
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                             175,690
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                 119,984
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  380,913
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                        5,000
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                 5,306
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               2,687,264
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                8,721,302
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    1,850,684
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           156,991
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   1,316,416
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   1,457,325
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        393,359
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                              39,605
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 432,964
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       188,232
<NET-INCOME>                                   244,732
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      9,373
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  235,359
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       162,512
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      155,137
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         615,421
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     1.63
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     1.63