<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM (A) BALANCE
SHEET, STATEMENT OF INCOME, STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS, EXHIBIT 12(A) STATEMENT RE
COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS
ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-30-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    5,346,383
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                     85,629
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         531,706
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                        38,993
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                 878,707
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               6,881,418
<COMMON>                                       510,619
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      717,669
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                          1,178,543
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               2,406,831
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                              598
<PREFERRED>                                    218,497
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         1,656,432
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                   45,000
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                           26
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                     71,513
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                31,490
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               2,451,031
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                6,881,418
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    1,784,679
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           189,546
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   1,215,759
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   1,405,305
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        379,374
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               4,599
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 383,973
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        94,920
<NET-INCOME>                                   289,053
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      9,936
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  279,117
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       191,483
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      112,951
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         525,784
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     2.73
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     2.73