<ARTICLE> UT <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1998 <PERIOD-START> OCT-01-1997 <PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1997 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 487,611 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 630 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 129,989 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 16,255 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 634,485 <COMMON> 19,918 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 126,052 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 66,475 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 212,445 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 174,050 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 69,500 <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> 169,190 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 634,485 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 103,784 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 4,232 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 25,702 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 29,934 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 10,790 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 1,067 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 11,857 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 4,664 <NET-INCOME> 7,193 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 7,193 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 4,581 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 3,818 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> (2,327) <EPS-PRIMARY> 0.36 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.36