<ARTICLE>UT
<LEGEND>

THIS  SCHEDULE  CONTAINS  SUMMARY  FINANCIAL   INFORMATION  EXTRACTED  FROM  THE
CONSOLIDATED  STATEMENTS OF INCOME,  BALANCE SHEETS AND STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

</LEGEND>

<MULTIPLIER>                                                          1,000


                                                                   
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                                         6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                                     SEP-30-2000
<PERIOD-START>                                                        OCT-01-1999
<PERIOD-END>                                                          MAR-31-2000
<BOOK-VALUE>                                                          PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                             1,418,065
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                               1,700
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                                  345,191
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                                112,699
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                                0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                        1,877,655
<COMMON>                                                                 46,612
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                               368,817
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                                     345,209
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                          760,638
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                         0
<PREFERRED>                                                              28,173
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                                    506,963 <F1>
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                            0 <F2>
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                                     0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                          103,889 <F2>
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                             1,545
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                                     0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                                   0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                          476,447
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                         1,877,655
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                               834,169 <F3>
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                                     60,547 <F3>
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                              646,474 <F3>
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                              707,021
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                                 127,148
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                         (157)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                          126,991
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                                 21,969
<NET-INCOME>                                                            105,022
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                 663
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                           104,359
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                 28,580
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                                21,969 <F4>
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                                   85,926
<EPS-BASIC>                                                                2.25
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                              2.24
<FN>

<F1> REPRESENTS TOTAL LONG-TERM DEBT INCLUDING $500,700 IN UNSECURED MEDIUM-TERM
     NOTES,  $6,921 IN OTHER  LONG-TERM  DEBT AND ($658) IN  UNAMORTIZED PREMIUM
     AND DISCOUNT-NET.
<F2> TOTAL OF SHORT-TERM  NOTES PAYABLE AND COMMERCIAL PAPER TIES TO BALANCE
     SHEET  CAPTION  ENTITLED  NOTES  PAYABLE.
<F3> INCLUDES  UTILITY AND NON-UTILITY.
<F4> REPRESENTS TOTAL INTEREST EXPENSE, PER CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME.
</FN>