<ARTICLE>                                           UT
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-2000
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-2000
<PERIOD-END>                                   SEP-30-2000
<BOOK-VALUE>                                   PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                      530,681
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    142,318
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         270,517
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       33,816
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                 878,384
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 1,855,716
<COMMON>                                       282,794
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      254
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            199,446
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 482,494
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          0
<PREFERRED>                                    0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           522,202
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                             0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                      80,342
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                 0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  859
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                      0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                    15,830
<LEASES-CURRENT>                               398
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 753,591
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                  1,855,716
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      646,098
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           47,574
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     514,648
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     562,222
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        83,876
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                             1,293
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 85,169
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       30,801
<NET-INCOME>                                   54,368
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                    0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  54,368
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       30,392
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      31,578
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         52,327
<EPS-BASIC>                                    3.86
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  3.86