<ARTICLE>                           UT
<CIK>                               225998
<NAME>                              WASHINGTON ENERGY COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER>                                1,000
       
                                 
<PERIOD-TYPE>                       YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                   SEP-30-1996
<PERIOD-END>                        SEP-30-1996

<BOOK-VALUE>                             PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                 835,870
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                74,622
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                     62,976
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                   31,451
<OTHER-ASSETS>                             29,517
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                          1,034,436
<COMMON>                                  121,339
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                 205,311
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                     (127,299)
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>            199,351
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                           0
<PREFERRED>                                90,000
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                      344,920
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                              0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                       0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>            177,709
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                 140
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                       0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                     0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>            222,316
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>           1,034,436
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                 425,711
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                       15,232
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                338,493
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                353,725
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                    71,986
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                        (5,870)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>             66,116
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                   41,156
<NET-INCOME>                               23,128
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                     0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>              23,128
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                   24,149
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                  26,303
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                     83,500
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                 .96
<EPS-DILUTED>                                 .96