<ARTICLE>                                           UT
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                                   DEC-31-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                   PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                      1,322,314
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    26,081
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         199,097
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       449,150
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 1,996,642
<COMMON>                                       284,579
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      (1,410)
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            156,299
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 439,468
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          0
<PREFERRED>                                    4,461
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           759,680
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                             0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                      10,965
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                 0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  69,900
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                      0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                    17,193
<LEASES-CURRENT>                               315
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 694,660
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                  1,996,642
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      727,258
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           53,590
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     563,842
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     617,432
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        109,826
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                             2,364
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 112,190
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       73,145
<NET-INCOME>                                   39,045
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                    330
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  40,555
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       40,611
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      59,626
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         161,433
<EPS-BASIC>                                  2.88
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  2.87