<ARTICLE> UT
<MULTIPLIER> 1000
<CURRENCY> U.S. DOLLARS
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          SEP-30-1996
<PERIOD-START>                             OCT-01-1995
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1996
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                      1
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                      419,681
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                        716
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                          89,803
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                         8,405
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 518,605
<COMMON>                                        18,979
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      110,769
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                             67,709
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 197,457
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           143,900
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                              10,000
<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>                 157,948
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                  518,605
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      216,975
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            17,238
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                      47,228
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                      64,466
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                         33,550
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               1,508
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  35,058
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                         7,351
<NET-INCOME>                                    27,707
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   27,707
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                         7,964
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                            0<F1>
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                          30,146
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     1.47
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     1.46
<FN>
<F1>This item is not required to be presented in the interim financial
statements.
</FN>