<ARTICLE> UT <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> 6-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998 <PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1999 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 1,686,664 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 88,535 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 145,030 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 148,701 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,068,920 <COMMON> 31,027 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 457,975 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 198,166 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 687,168 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 48,500 <PREFERRED> 73,115 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 630,111 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 123,000 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 40,597 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 466,429 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 2,068,920 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 376,943 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 19,513 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 293,029 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 312,542 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 64,401 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 259 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 64,660 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 24,892 <NET-INCOME> 39,768 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 2,086 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 37,682 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 21,693 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 58,060 <EPS-BASIC> .50 <EPS-DILUTED> .50