<ARTICLE> UT <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1996 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 3,071,623 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 308,506 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 326,126 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 128,075 <OTHER-ASSETS> 399,767 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 4,234,097 <COMMON> 291,458 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 566,233 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 527,595 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 1,385,286 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 25,000 <PREFERRED> 78,475 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 1,095,248 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 3,400 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 140,337 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 91,057 <LEASES-CURRENT> 8,521 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 1,406,773 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 4,234,097 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 451,942 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 56,363 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 311,409 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 367,772 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 84,170 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 1,396 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 85,566 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 22,994 <NET-INCOME> 62,572 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 1,646 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 60,926 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 45,460 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 19,094 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 104,015 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0