<ARTICLE>                                           UT
  
<MULTIPLIER>                                      1000
       
                                            
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                  3-mos
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              SEP-30-1999
<PERIOD-START>                                 OCT-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                   DEC-31-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                   PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                      523,015
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                        583
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         117,085
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                        15,725
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 656,408
<COMMON>                                        20,378
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      134,742
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                             68,654
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 223,774
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           164,750
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                              94,500
<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>                 164,084
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                  656,408
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                       73,201
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                             2,158
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                      29,806
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                      31,964
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                          7,836
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                 744
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                   8,580
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                         4,814
<NET-INCOME>                                     3,766
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                    3,766
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                         4,864
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                        3,594
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                          (3,430)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     0.18
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.18