<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>                                    6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                SEP-30-1998
<PERIOD-START>                                   OCT-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                     MAR-31-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                     PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                        1,253,598
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                          4,014
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                             312,525
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                           114,376
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                           0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                   1,684,513
<COMMON>                                            43,742
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                          300,231
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                308,402
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                     652,375
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                    0
<PREFERRED>                                         28,426
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                               474,729 <F1>
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   1,345 <F2>
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                      13,100 <F2>
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                       28,706
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          1,073
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                       528
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                     484,759
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                    1,684,513
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                          757,768
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                52,458
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                         595,907
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                         648,365
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                            109,403
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                   1,611
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                     111,014
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                            19,161
<NET-INCOME>                                        91,853
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                            666
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                       91,187
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                            25,960
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                           19,161 <F3>
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                             106,313
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                         2.09
<EPS-DILUTED>                                         2.09

<FN>
<F1> REPRESENTS TOTAL LONG-TERM DEBT INCLUDING $41,000 IN FIRST
MORTGAGE BONDS, $432,200 IN UNSECURED MEDIUM-TERM NOTES, $2,297 IN
OTHER LONG-TERM DEBT AND ($768) 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>