<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