<ARTICLE>	UT	
<LEGEND>		
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE 		
"CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS, CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME AND
CONSOLIDATED " STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY
BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.        
</LEGEND>		
<MULTIPLIER>            1,000 
       		
		
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>		DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>		JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>		MAR-31-1996
<PERIOD-TYPE>		3-MOS
<BOOK-VALUE>		PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>               6,232,079 
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                     0 
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                    585,782 
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                1,037,369
<OTHER-ASSETS>                            185,784
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                          8,041,014
<COMMON>                                    1,577
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>               1,595,435
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                       992,558
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>          2,589,570
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                     160,000
<PREFERRED>                               227,885
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                    2,522,784
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                         96,300        
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                       0        
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                  0        
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>              60,400        
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                       0        
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                     0        
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                0        
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>          2,384,075     
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>           8,041,014     
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                 883,995       
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                       73,983        
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                640,563       
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                714,546       
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                   169,449       
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                         (1,671)        
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>            167,778       
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                   57,637
<NET-INCOME>                              110,141
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                 6,769
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>             103,372
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                   67,799
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                  49,135
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                    369,316
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                0.70 
<EPS-DILUTED>                                0.70