<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