<ARTICLE>                                               UT
<MULTIPLIER>                                         1,000
<CURRENCY>                                     U.S. DOLLARS
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                                   SEP-30-1996
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                          1
<BOOK-VALUE>                                      PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                        4,651,394   
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                        573,674   
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                             478,208   
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                         1,309,409   
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                           0   
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                   7,012,685   
<COMMON>                                         1,639,709   
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                0   
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                350,139   
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                   1,989,848   
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                               53,000   
<PREFERRED>                                        170,391   
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                             2,078,869   
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                 176,189   
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                0   
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                     134,500   
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                      169,409   
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                0   
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                              0   
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                         0   
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                   2,240,479   
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                    7,012,685   
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                        1,412,854   
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                               137,417   
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                         664,335   
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                         908,398   
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                            504,456   
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                (149,320)  
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                           0   
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                           142,399   
<NET-INCOME>                                       197,379   
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                              0   
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                      197,379   
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                            65,576   
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                          120,057   
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                             505,570   
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                         2.26   
<EPS-DILUTED>                                            0