<ARTICLE> OPUR1
<LEGEND>
(Amounts in 1,000's, except earnings per share)
Income tax expense includes $2,842,000 related to other income.
</LEGEND>
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               JUN-30-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                      797,231
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                     16,563
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         104,673
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       193,502
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               1,111,969
<COMMON>                                       188,700
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                        (422)
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                             95,804
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 284,082
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                           15,000
<PREFERRED>                                     50,905
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           312,343
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                   50,000
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                 9,716
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 389,923
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                1,111,969
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      161,638
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            19,328
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     110,238
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     126,724
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                         34,914
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               4,220
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  39,134
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        14,078
<NET-INCOME>                                    25,056
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      2,313
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   22,743
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        10,693
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       13,232
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                          35,204
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     3.62
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     3.62