<ARTICLE>                                        UT
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS, CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME AND CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                                           1,000
       
                                                       
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                         DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                                            JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                                              DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                             12-MOS
<BOOK-VALUE>                                              PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                            249,281
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                                0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                                24,717
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                              11,339
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                         5,146
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                       290,483
<COMMON>                                                               8,780
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                             18,839
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                                   92,484
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                       120,103
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                      0
<PREFERRED>                                                                0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                                  44,617
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                    30,649
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                                  0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                             0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                              0
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                                  0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                                0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                           0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                        95,114
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                        290,483
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                            267,768
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                                   9,834
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                           236,900
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                           246,734
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                               21,034
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                    (1,777)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                        19,257
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                               4,661
<NET-INCOME>                                                          14,596
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                         14,596
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                   0
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                              4,016
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                                41,551
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                           0.00
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                           0.00