<ARTICLE>                                           UT
<MULTIPLIER>                                  1,000

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                   MAR-31-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                   PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                      1,260,910
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    33,119
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         194,592
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       352,234
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 1,840,855
<COMMON>                                       281,084
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      (332)
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            158,165
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 438,917
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          0
<PREFERRED>                                    4,351
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           644,619
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                             0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                      45,120
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                 0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  74,574
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                      0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                    16,769
<LEASES-CURRENT>                               342
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 616,163
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                  1,840,855
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      162,474
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           11,487
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     128,310
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     139,797
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        22,677
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                             558
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 23,235
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       14,273
<NET-INCOME>                                   8,962
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                    51
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  8,911
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       10,090
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      45,043
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         26,885
<EPS-BASIC>                                  0.64
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  0.64