<ARTICLE>                                           UT
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                   SEP-30-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                   PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                      1,227,527
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    35,561
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         257,080
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       330,979
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 1,851,147
<COMMON>                                       281,559
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      (204)
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            172,506
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 453,861
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          0
<PREFERRED>                                    4,299
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           564,641
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                             0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                      113,195
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                 0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  74,574
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                      0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                    16,596
<LEASES-CURRENT>                               345
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 623,636
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                  1,851,147
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      520,867
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           47,128
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     392,426
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     439,554
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        81,313
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                             4,406
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 85,719
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       42,142
<NET-INCOME>                                   43,577
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                    151
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  43,447
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       30,284
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      39,718
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         63,285
<EPS-BASIC>                                  3.10
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  3.10