<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the consolidated financial statements for the nine months ended June 30, 1995. </LEGEND> <MULTIPLIER> 1000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1995 <PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1995 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 391,185 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 949 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 37,173 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 6,199 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 435,506 <COMMON> 18,603 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 105,346 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 56,365 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 180,314 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 109,140 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 18,500 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 9,540 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 118,012 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 435,506 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 221,175 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 16,310 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 63,194 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 79,504 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 35,282 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 93 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 35,375 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 9,604 <NET-INCOME> 25,771 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 25,771 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 10,202 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0<F1> <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 50,862 <EPS-PRIMARY> 1.40 <EPS-DILUTED> 1.39 <FN> <F1>This item is not required to be presented in the interim financial statements. </FN>