<ARTICLE>                                           UT

<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                   DEC-31-1997
<BOOK-VALUE>                                   PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                      1,273,612
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    32,451
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         204,474
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       408,993
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 1,919,530
<COMMON>                                       277,570
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      (833)
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            159,344
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 436,081
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          0
<PREFERRED>                                    4,351
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           644,670
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                             0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                      37,751
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                 0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  100,000
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                      0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                    16,853
<LEASES-CURRENT>                               340
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 679,484
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                  1,919,530
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      709,029
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           40,833
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     564,314
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     605,147
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        103,882
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                             5,375
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 109,257
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       65,800
<NET-INCOME>                                   43,457
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                    205
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  43,300
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       40,255
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      47,546
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         172,803
<EPS-BASIC>                                  3.10
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  3.09