<ARTICLE>	UT	
<LEGEND>		
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE 		
"CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS, CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME AND
CONSOLIDATED " STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY
BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.		
</LEGEND>		
<MULTIPLIER>            1,000 
       		
		
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>		DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>		JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>		MAR-31-1996
<PERIOD-TYPE>		3-MOS
<BOOK-VALUE>		PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>               2,471,113
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                     0 
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                    204,265
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                  285,634
<OTHER-ASSETS>                            110,103
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                          3,071,115
<COMMON>                                      539 
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                 403,259
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                       622,958
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>          1,026,756
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                           0 
<PREFERRED>                               187,885
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                      828,393
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                        166,765 
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                       0  
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                  0  
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>              50,400 
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                       0  
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                     0  
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                0  
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>            810,916 
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>           3,071,115 
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                 328,295 
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                       18,883 
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                259,805 
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                278,688 
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                    49,607 
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                         (2,555) 
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>             47,052 
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                   20,188
<NET-INCOME>                               26,864
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                 3,295
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>              23,569
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                   25,887
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                  17,035
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                     75,585
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                0.00 
<EPS-DILUTED>                                0.00