<ARTICLE>                                           UT
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000
       
                                      
<PERIOD-TYPE>                            3-mos
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                        AUG-31-1995              
<PERIOD-END>                             NOV-30-1995              
<BOOK-VALUE>                             PER-BOOK               
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                1,589,269
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                 71,221
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                     120,012
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                   124,312
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                   0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                           1,904,814
<COMMON>                                    40,918
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                  306,376
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                        372,903
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>             720,197
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                            0
<PREFERRED>                                 72,680
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                       580,653
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                               0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                        0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                   0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  254
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                        0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                      0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>             531,030
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>            1,904,814
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                  200,957
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                        13,697
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                 154,022
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                 167,719
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                     33,238
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                             918
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>              34,156
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                    10,988
<NET-INCOME>                                23,168
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                  1,219
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>               21,949
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                    22,505
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                   10,787
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                      64,415
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                 0.54
<EPS-DILUTED>                                    0