<ARTICLE> UT <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1998 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 2,783,134 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 433,056 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 947,350 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 123,207 <OTHER-ASSETS> 298,052 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 4,584,799 <COMMON> 291,458 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 566,233 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 433,948 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 1,291,639 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 25,000 <PREFERRED> 78,475 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 1,682,952 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 65,852 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 83,823 <LEASES-CURRENT> 6,751 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 1,350,307 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 4,584,799 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 605,853 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 29,435 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 499,428 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 528,863 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 76,990 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 4,361 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 81,351 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 31,128 <NET-INCOME> 50,223 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 1,646 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 48,577 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 45,963 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 27,314 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 189,546 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0