<ARTICLE>                                           UT
<MULTIPLIER>                                     1,000
<CURRENCY>                                U.S. DOLLARS
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                         DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                            JAN-01-1996 
<PERIOD-END>                              JUN-30-1996
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                     1
<BOOK-VALUE>                                 PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    4,633,848 
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    109,493 
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         300,451 
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     1,346,801 
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0 
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               6,390,593 
<COMMON>                                       178,162 
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                    1,040,194 
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            383,470 
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               1,601,826 
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                           66,000 
<PREFERRED>                                    173,526
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         1,955,285
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                 194,265
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  153,643
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               2,246,048
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                6,390,593
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      771,919
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            81,023
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     510,396
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     591,419
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        180,500
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                              15,825
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 196,325
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        80,279
<NET-INCOME>                                   116,046
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      8,803
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  107,243
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       127,500
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       71,903
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         263,609
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0