<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
     This schedule  contains summary  financial  information  extracted from the
Company's  Consolidated  Statement of Earnings,  Consolidated Balance Sheets and
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for the period ended September 30, 1997 and
is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
<CURRENCY> US DOLLARS
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-30-1997
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                      1
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    1,556,383
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    272,429
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         269,525
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       150,359
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               2,248,696
<COMMON>                                       208,870
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      468,278
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            127,324
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 804,472
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                     12,800
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           713,989
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                              92,800
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                      350
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 624,285
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                2,248,696
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      823,535
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            38,157
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     694,260
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     725,963
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                         97,572
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               9,849
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 107,421
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        42,639
<NET-INCOME>                                    64,782
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        440
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   64,342
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        19,216
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       35,078
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         154,808
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     1.54
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     1.54