<ARTICLE> OPUR1
<LEGEND>
(Amounts in 1,000's, except earnings per share)
Income tax expense includes $573,000 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>                      738,050
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                     29,304
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                          98,501
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       173,558
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               1,039,413
<COMMON>                                       188,700
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                        (413)
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            105,972
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 294,259
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                           15,000
<PREFERRED>                                     50,905
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           288,267
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                   13,350
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                 5,703
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 371,929
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                1,039,413
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      243,436
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            22,605
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     179,132
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     201,164
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                         42,272
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               1,789
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  44,061
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        16,797
<NET-INCOME>                                    27,264
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      3,470
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   23,794
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        16,040
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       17,066
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                          69,590
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     3.78
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     3.78