<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>                                                SEP-30-1996
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                               9-MOS
<BOOK-VALUE>                                                PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                             2,495,767
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                                   0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                                  160,439
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                                501,037
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                          128,178
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                        3,285,421
<COMMON>                                                                    539
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                               402,945
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                                     627,354
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                        1,030,838
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                         0
<PREFERRED>                                                             173,090
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                                    818,959
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                      262,031
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                                     0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                                0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                            10,400
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                                     0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                                   0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                          990,103
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                         3,285,421
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                               965,862
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                                     55,597
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                              756,515
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                              812,112
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                                 153,750
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                         (684)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                          153,066
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                                 59,035
<NET-INCOME>                                                             94,031
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                               9,518
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                            84,513
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                 82,363
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                                50,286
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                                  193,316
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                              0.00
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                              0.00