<ARTICLE> UT <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1996 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 3,071,623 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 579,953 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 432,135 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 130,828 <OTHER-ASSETS> 470,307 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 4,684,846 <COMMON> 291,408 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 565,434 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 683,159 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 1,540,001 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 25,000 <PREFERRED> 78,475 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 1,095,248 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 3,400 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 147,073 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 175,370 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 91,057 <LEASES-CURRENT> 8,521 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 1,520,701 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 4,684,846 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 465,897 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 45,508 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 327,397 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 372,905 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 92,992 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 1,168 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 94,160 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 28,108 <F1> <NET-INCOME> 66,052 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <F1> <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 66,052 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 45,460 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 22,562 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 110,090 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0.57 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.57 <FN> <F1> PREFERRED DIVIDEND OF SUBSIDIARY INCLUDED IN INTEREST EXPENSE