<ARTICLE>               UT      
<LEGEND>                        
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE                 
INTERIM CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENT, BALANCE SHEET AND STATEMENT OF CASH                      
FLOWS AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.                       
</LEGEND>                       
<MULTIPLIER>            1,000   
                        
                  
<PERIOD-TYPE>           YEAR    
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>               SEP-30-1997     
<PERIOD-START>          OCT-01-1996     
<PERIOD-END>            MAR-31-1997     
<BOOK-VALUE>            PER-BOOK        
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                           1,161,686
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                             3,105
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                290,507
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                              112,266
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                              0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                      1,567,564
<COMMON>                                               43,742
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                             301,780
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                   284,180
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                        629,702
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                       0
<PREFERRED>                                            28,434
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                  402,506<F1>
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                      8,000<F2>
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                   0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                         42,563<F2>
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                           7,707
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                   0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                 0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                          200
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                        448,452
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                       1,567,564
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                             776,423
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                   55,160
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                            608,246
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                            663,406
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                               113,017
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                      1,657
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                        114,674
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                               18,106
<NET-INCOME>                                           96,568
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                               666
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                          95,902
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                               25,348
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                              18,106<F3>
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                109,829
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                            2.19
<EPS-DILUTED>                                            2.19
                        

<FN>
<F1> REPESENTS TOTAL LONG-TERM DEBT INCLUDING $56,000 IN FIRST MORTGAGE BONDS,
$346,500 IN UNSECURED MEDIUM-TERM NOTES, $971 IN OTHER LONG-TERM DEBT AND ($965)
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> REPRESENTS TOTAL INTEREST EXPENSE, PER STATEMENT OF INCOME.               
</FN>