<ARTICLE> UT
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
<CURRENCY> U.S. DOLLARS
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          SEP-30-1995
<PERIOD-START>                             OCT-01-1994
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1995
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                      1
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                      478,670
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                     13,443
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         132,569
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                        42,321
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 667,003
<COMMON>                                        44,471
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      100,145
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                             93,908
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 238,524
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                      5,219
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           193,000
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                              17,950
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                      173,000
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                  20,000
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                        0
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                      2,719
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                 1,028
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 208,563
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                  667,003
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      285,183
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            20,136
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     225,947
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     246,083
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                         39,100
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                 971
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  40,071
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                         8,218
<NET-INCOME>                                    31,853
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        151
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   31,702
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                         9,736
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                            0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                          55,581
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     2.38
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     2.36