<ARTICLE> UT <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1997 <PERIOD-START> OCT-01-1996 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1997 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 457,795 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 664 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 104,834 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 11,295 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 574,588 <COMMON> 19,546 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 119,662 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 77,138 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 216,346 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 183,350 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 23,500 <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> 142,092 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 574,588 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 243,800 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 18,922 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 52,897 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 71,819 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 36,802 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 2,057 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 38,859 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 8,566 <NET-INCOME> 30,293 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 30,293 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 8,475 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 19,355 <EPS-PRIMARY> 1.56 <EPS-DILUTED> 1.55