<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE BALANCE
SHEET AND INCOME STATEMENT FOR THE COMPANY FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31,
1999, AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO THE COMPANY'S FORM 10-Q
FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 1999.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          SEP-30-1999
<PERIOD-START>                             OCT-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1999
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                      124,468
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                      1,585
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                          25,978
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                         1,006
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                   6,389
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 159,426
<COMMON>                                            49
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                       18,326
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                             45,841
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                  64,216
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                            58,582
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                      918
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                  35,710
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                  159,426
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                       23,087
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                             2,244
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                      15,991
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                      18,235
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                          4,852
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                 187
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                   5,039
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                         1,280
<NET-INCOME>                                     3,759
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                    3,759
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                         1,074
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                        4,453<F1>
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                          12,255
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                      .77<F2>
<EPS-DILUTED>                                      .76<F2>
<FN>
<F1>TOTAL INTEREST ON BOOKS REPRESENTS INTEREST EXPENSE RELATED TO LONG-TERM 
DEBT OUTSTANDING UNDER FIRST MORTGAGE BONDS AND LONG-TERM SECURED NOTES.
<F2>REPRESENTS BASIC AND DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE COMPUTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH
FASB 128.
</FN>