<ARTICLE>                                           UT
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                             DEC-31-2000
<PERIOD-START>                                JAN-01-2000
<PERIOD-END>                                  MAR-31-2000
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                     517,398
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                   131,344
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                        210,647
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                      13,834
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                911,858
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                1,785,081
<COMMON>                                      282,983
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                     150
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                           182,204
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                465,337
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                         0
<PREFERRED>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                          522,165
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                            0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                     14,121
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                 859
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                     0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                   16,032
<LEASES-CURRENT>                              383
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                766,184
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                 1,785,081
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                     180,977
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                          13,206
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                    143,115
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                    156,321
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                       24,656
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                            1,943
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                26,599
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                      9,734
<NET-INCOME>                                  16,865
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                   0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                 16,865
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      10,130
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                     31,578
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                        26,074
<EPS-BASIC>                                   1.20
<EPS-DILUTED>                                 1.20