<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
       
                                               
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                     3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                 DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                                    JUL-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                      SEP-30-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                      PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                               2,563,077
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                     0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                    498,934
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                  355,307
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                            119,713
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                          3,537,031
<COMMON>                                                      539
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                 400,916
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                       577,437
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                            978,892
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                           0
<PREFERRED>                                                71,923
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                      976,623
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                        280,981
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                       0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                  0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                              56,000
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                       0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                     0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                          1,172,612
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                           3,537,031
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                 807,181
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                       16,063
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                742,036
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                758,099
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                    49,082
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                           (315)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                             48,767
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   21,975
<NET-INCOME>                                               26,792
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                 1,151
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                              25,641
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                        0
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                  23,333
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                    175,191
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                0.00
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                0.00