<ARTICLE>                          UT
<MULTIPLIER>                       1,000
                              
                                
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                  DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                     JAN-1-1997
<PERIOD-END>                       JUN-30-1997
<PERIOD-TYPE>                      6-MOS
<BOOK-VALUE>                       PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>          146,118
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>        42
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>             27,599
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>           57,572
<OTHER-ASSETS>                     0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                     231,331
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>          1,692
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                32,506
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>     68,756
<COMMON>                           34,558
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>              3,666
<PREFERRED>                        225
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>               65,400
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                 9,625
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>          0 
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>     0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>      4,272
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>          0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>        4,492
<LEASES-CURRENT>                   923
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>     73,972
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>      231,331
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>          85,947
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>               2,392
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>         75,508
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>         77,900
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>            8,047
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                 17
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>     8,030
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>           3,460
<NET-INCOME>                       4,570
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>        138
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>      4,432
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>           3,066
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>          2,511
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>             12,778
<EPS-PRIMARY>                      1.01
<EPS-DILUTED>                      0.98