<ARTICLE>     UT
    <LEGEND>      
     THIS SCHEDULE  CONTAINS SUMMARY  FINANCIAL  INFORMATION  EXTRACTED FROM THE
     INTERIM  CONSOLIDATED  INCOME STATEMENTS,  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>                                               3-MOS
    <FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                           SEP-30-1998
    <PERIOD-START>                                              OCT-01-1997
    <PERIOD-END>                                                DEC-31-1997
    <BOOK-VALUE>                                                PER-BOOK
    <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                   1,234,764
    <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                     3,124
    <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                        381,165
    <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                      109,794
    <OTHER-ASSETS>                                                      0
    <TOTAL-ASSETS>                                              1,728,847
    <COMMON>                                                       43,743
    <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                     299,858
    <RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                           268,075
    <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                611,676
    <PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                               0
    <PREFERRED>                                                    28,427
    <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                          418,567<F1>
    <SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                             56,300<F2>
    <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                           0
    <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                 74,104<F2>
    <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                  25,163
    <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                           0
    <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                     1,171
    <LEASES-CURRENT>                                                  500
    <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                513,439
    <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                               1,728,847
    <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                     367,547
    <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                           22,262
    <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                    297,583
    <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                    319,845
    <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                        47,702
    <OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                112
    <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                 47,814
    <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                        9,691
    <NET-INCOME>                                                   38,123
    <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                       332
    <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                  37,791
    <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                       12,890
    <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                       9,691<F3>
    <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                          3,500
    <EPS-PRIMARY>                                                    0.87
    <EPS-DILUTED>                                                    0.87

     <FN> 
     <F1>  REPRESENTS  TOTAL  LONG-TERM  DEBT  INCLUDING  $54,000  IN FIRST
     MORTGAGE  BONDS,  $364,400 IN UNSECURED  MEDIUM-TERM  NOTES,  $869 IN OTHER
     LONG-TERM DEBT AND ($702) 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 STATEMENTS OF INCOME.
     </FN>