<ARTICLE> UT <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996 <PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1996 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 2268900 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 0 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 491500 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 359700 <OTHER-ASSETS> 298600 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 3418700 <COMMON> 1100 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 654700 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 544700 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 1200500 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 22900 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 1014300 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 10000 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 42400 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 1128600 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 3418700 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 1256100 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 103500 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 915800 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 1019300 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 236800 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 26000 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 262800 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 89000 <NET-INCOME> 173800 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 900 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 172900 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 131200 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 87700 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 338100 <EPS-PRIMARY> 1.72 <EPS-DILUTED> 1.72