<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>                                              DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                             12-MOS
<BOOK-VALUE>                                              PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                          6,289,626
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                                0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                               566,011
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                           1,168,666
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                       824,211
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                     8,848,514
<COMMON>                                                               1,577
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                          1,590,735
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                                  992,142
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                     2,584,454
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                      0
<PREFERRED>                                                          194,232
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                               2,534,978
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                   713,617
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                                  0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                             0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                        140,000
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                                  0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                                0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                           0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                     2,681,233
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                      8,848,514
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                          3,242,740
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                                 218,269
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                         2,466,213
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                         2,684,482
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                              558,258
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                    15,322
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                       573,580
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                             215,603
<NET-INCOME>                                                         357,977
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                           23,180
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                        316,406
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                             274,358
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                            190,617
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                               816,089
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                           2.00
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                           2.00