<ARTICLE>                                           UT
<MULTIPLIER>                                                  1,000
<CURRENCY>                                          U.S. DOLLARS
       
                                                 
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                       9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                   SEP-30-1996
<PERIOD-START>                                      OCT-01-1995
<PERIOD-END>                                        JUN-30-1996
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                     1
<BOOK-VALUE>                                        PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                   434,829
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                     705
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                       63,788
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                      8,072
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                    0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                              507,394
<COMMON>                                                     19,076
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                   112,116
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                          64,953
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                              196,145
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                             0
<PREFERRED>                                                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                        143,900
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                           24,000
<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>                              134,049
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                               507,394
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                   275,782
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                         17,974
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                   69,012
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                   86,986
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                      37,455
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                            2,597
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                               40,052
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                     10,904
<NET-INCOME>                                                 29,148
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                       0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                29,148
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                     11,997
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                         0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                       39,363
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                     1.54
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                     1.53