<ARTICLE>   UT
<MULTIPLIER>  1000
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                SEP-30-1996
<PERIOD-START>                                   OCT-01-1995
<PERIOD-END>                                     DEC-31-1995
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                          3-MOS
<BOOK-VALUE>                                        PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                            412,858
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                              728
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                79,224
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                               6,680
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                             0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                       499,490
<COMMON>                                              18,793
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                            108,230
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                   51,166
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                       178,189
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                      0
<PREFERRED>                                                0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                  93,900
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                    77,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                  0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                             0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                          9,300
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                  0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                           0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                       141,101
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                        499,490
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                             74,922
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                   4,429
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                            21,713
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                            26,142
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                               10,374
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                       434 
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                        10,808
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                               3,677
<NET-INCOME>                                           7,131
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                          7,131
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                               3,971
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                  0 
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                (2,629) 
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                            .38
<EPS-DILUTED>                                            .38