<ARTICLE>                          UT
                              
                                
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                  DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                     JAN-1-1996
<PERIOD-END>                       SEP-30-1996
<PERIOD-TYPE>                      9-MOS
<BOOK-VALUE>                       PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>          140,444,828
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>        42,448
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>             25,579,950
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>           57,667,410
<OTHER-ASSETS>                     0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                     223,734,636
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>          1,505,667
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                30,135,450
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>     65,330,456
<COMMON>                           33,689,339
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>              3,665,900
<PREFERRED>                        225,000
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>               61,022,000
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                 11,600,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>          0 
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>     0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>      1,294,000
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>          0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>        3,221,226
<LEASES-CURRENT>                   1,165,117
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>     76,210,937
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>      223,734,636
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>          127,173,029
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>               3,311,296
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>         113,739,959
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>         117,051,255
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>            10,121,774
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                 634,546
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>     10,756,320
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>           4,445,446
<NET-INCOME>                       6,310,874
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>        204,922
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>      6,105,952
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>           4,243,650
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>          3,824,801
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>             10,285,424
<EPS-PRIMARY>                      1.40
<EPS-DILUTED>                      1.37