<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from Southwest Gas Corporation's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2000 and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements. </LEGEND> <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-2000 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-2000 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 1,656,891 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 94,210 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 155,877 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 0 <OTHER-ASSETS> 47,311 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,954,289 <COMMON> 33,158 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 449,735 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 19,992 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 502,885 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 860,515 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 100,500 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 6,135 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 484,254 <F1> <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 1,954,289 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 693,411 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> (6,749) <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 638,406 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 638,406 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 55,005 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> (4,550)<F2> <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 50,455 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> (51,415) <NET-INCOME> 5,789 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 5,789 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 19,234 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 126,931 <EPS-BASIC> 0.19 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.18 <FN> <F1> Includes: trust originated preferred securities of $60,000, current liabilities, net of current long-term debt maturities and short-term debt, of $181,786 and deferred income taxes and other credits of $242,468. <F2> Includes distributions related to trust originated preferred securities of $4,106. </FN>