<ARTICLE> OPUR1
<LEGEND>
(Amounts in 1,000's, except earnings per share)
Income tax expense includes $3,514,000 related to other income.
</LEGEND>
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                      773,063
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                     21,131
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                          87,206
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       184,495
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               1,065,895
<COMMON>                                       188,700
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                        (413)
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                             98,217
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 286,504
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                           15,000
<PREFERRED>                                     50,905
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           310,996
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                        0
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                 7,496
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 394,994
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                1,065,895
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      322,625
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            33,421
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     230,389
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     260,296
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                         62,329
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               5,760
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  68,089
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        27,502
<NET-INCOME>                                    40,587
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      4,626
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   35,961
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        21,386
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       25,715
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                          91,739
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     5.72
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     5.72