<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-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                            JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                              JUN-30-1997
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                             6-MOS
<BOOK-VALUE>                                              PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                          2,534,849
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                                0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                               206,220
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                             452,188
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                       135,495
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                     3,328,752
<COMMON>                                                                 539
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                            401,013
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                                  619,278
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                     1,020,830
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                      0
<PREFERRED>                                                          173,073
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                                 910,869
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                   258,759
<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>                                                           0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                       965,221
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                      3,328,752
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                            813,393
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                                  33,292
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                           685,514
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                           718,806
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                               94,587
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                     3,394
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                        97,981
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                              41,952
<NET-INCOME>                                                          56,029
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                            6,039
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                         49,990
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                              56,800
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                             36,376
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                               107,423
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                           0.00
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                           0.00