<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>                                                JUN-30-1996
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                               6-MOS
<BOOK-VALUE>                                                PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                             2,483,934
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                                   0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                                  182,533
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                                310,963
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                          109,379
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                        3,086,809
<COMMON>                                                                    539
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                               402,945
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                                     616,182
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                        1,019,666
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                         0
<PREFERRED>                                                             173,090
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                                    828,673
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                      187,907
<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>                                          827,073
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                         3,086,809
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                               617,807
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                                     32,152
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                              492,542
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                              524,694
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                                  93,113
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                       (1,917)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                           91,196
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                                 39,669
<NET-INCOME>                                                             51,527
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                               6,498
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                            45,029
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                 54,052
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                                34,068
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                                  136,316
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                              0.00
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                              0.00