<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-31-1999
<PERIOD-START>                                                 JAN-01-1999
<PERIOD-END>                                                   MAR-31-1999
<BOOK-VALUE>                                                   PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                               2,603,614
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                                     0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                                    655,295
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                                  323,603
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                             92,496
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                          3,675,008
<COMMON>                                                                      539
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                                 410,740
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                                       603,047
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                          1,014,326
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                           0
<PREFERRED>                                                                71,919
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                                    1,020,093
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                        260,689
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                                       0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                                  0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                               5,959
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                                       0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                                     0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                                0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                          1,302,022
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                           3,675,008
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                                 482,465
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                                       25,185
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                                396,398
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                                421,583
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                                    60,882
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                            308
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                             61,190
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                                   21,364
<NET-INCOME>                                                               39,826
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                 1,150
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                              38,676
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                        0
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                                  19,577
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                                     76,157
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                                0.00
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                                0.00