<ARTICLE>                          UT
                              
                                
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                  DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                     JAN-1-1997
<PERIOD-END>                       MAR-31-1997
<PERIOD-TYPE>                      3-MOS
<BOOK-VALUE>                       PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>          144,495,318
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>        42,448
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>             30,002,949
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>           57,271,383
<OTHER-ASSETS>                     0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                     231,812,098
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>          1,628,935
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                33,861,634
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>     69,703,981
<COMMON>                           34,213,412
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>              3,665,900
<PREFERRED>                        225,000
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>               57,900,000
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                 17,550,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>          0 
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>     0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>      4,272,000
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>          0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>        4,448,703
<LEASES-CURRENT>                   903,356
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>     73,143,158
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>      231,812,098
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>          45,332,188
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>               1,557,425
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>         39,159,889
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>         40,717,314
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>            4,614,874
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                 (5,485)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>     4,609,389
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>           1,694,905
<NET-INCOME>                       2,914,484
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>        69,008
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>      2,845,476
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>           1,530,896
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>          1,217,439
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>             8,450,237
<EPS-PRIMARY>                      0.65
<EPS-DILUTED>                      0.63