<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