<ARTICLE> UT <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1997 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1997 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 5,390,727 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 100,366 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 435,682 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 39,572 <OTHER-ASSETS> 849,642 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 6,815,989 <COMMON> 510,619 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 716,879 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 1,091,090 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 2,318,588 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 155,197 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 1,879,651 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 33,900 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 5,000 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 80,798 <LEASES-CURRENT> 32,631 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 2,310,224 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 6,815,989 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 487,258 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 21,335 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 400,336 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 421,671 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 65,587 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> (204) <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 65,383 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 33,753 <NET-INCOME> 31,630 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 2,204 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 29,426 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 64,849 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 112,905 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 65,555 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0.29 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.29