<ARTICLE> OPUR1 <LEGEND> THE SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE COMPANY'S FINANCIAL RECORDS AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. </LEGEND> <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1998 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 1,644,983 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 56,882 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 142,388 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 146,303 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,990,556 <COMMON> 30,957 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 456,098 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 175,705 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 662,760 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 48,500 <PREFERRED> 73,115 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 611,786 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 100,000 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 10,577 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 483,818 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 1,990,556 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 544,663 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 31,121 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 421,022 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 452,143 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 92,520 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 3,397 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 95,917 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 30,671 <NET-INCOME> 65,246 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 4,094 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 58,024 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 30,189 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 124,829 <EPS-PRIMARY> $1.88 <EPS-DILUTED> $1.87