<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-30-1999
<PERIOD-START>                                          OCT-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                            MAR-31-1999
<BOOK-VALUE>                                            PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                    1,359,511
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                      2,918
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                         302,236
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                       110,130
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                               1,774,795
<COMMON>                                                        46,474
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                      364,586
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                            319,392
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                 730,452
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                0
<PREFERRED>                                                     28,423
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                           453,093 <F1>
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                               2,405 <F2>
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                  14,200 <F2>
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                   47,020
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                      1,042
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                 1,042
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                 498,160
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                1,774,795
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                      690,337
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                            52,122
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                     530,059
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                     582,181
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                        108,156
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                 761
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                 108,917
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                        19,158
<NET-INCOME>                                                    89,759
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                        666
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                   89,093
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                        28,016
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                       19,158 <F3>
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                         140,777
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                     1.95
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                     1.95

<FN>
<F1> REPRESENTS TOTAL LONG-TERM DEBT INCLUDING $450,700 IN UNSECURED
MEDIUM-TERM NOTES, $3,109 IN OTHER LONG-TERM DEBT AND ($716) 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>