<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>                                              SEP-30-1997
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                             9-MOS
<BOOK-VALUE>                                              PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                          2,539,846
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                                0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                               338,388
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                             437,593
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                       134,972
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                     3,450,799
<COMMON>                                                                 539
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                            400,855
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                                  628,538
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                     1,029,932
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                      0
<PREFERRED>                                                          157,209
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                                 875,788
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                   310,345
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                                  0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                             0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                         35,000
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                                  0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                                0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                           0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                     1,042,525
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                      3,450,799
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                          1,464,380
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                                  49,451
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                         1,259,314
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                         1,308,765
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                              155,615
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                     4,415
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                       160,030
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                              63,321
<NET-INCOME>                                                          96,709
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                            8,964
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                         87,745
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                              85,200
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                             53,928
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                               155,142
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                           0.00
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                           0.00