<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> PUBLIC UTILITY COMPANIES AND PUBLIC UTILITY HOLDING COMPANIES (THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS) FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1997 FOR PERIOD JANUARY 1, 1997 THROUGH MARCH 31, 1997 THREE MONTHS ENDED </LEGEND> <MULTIPLIER> 1000 <CURRENCY> U.S. DOLLARS <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1997 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1997 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 4655826 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 117712 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 329824 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 1267045 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 6370407 <COMMON> 178162 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 1091780 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 442622 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 1712564 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 43000 <PREFERRED> 149387 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 1889455 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 216300 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 103780 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 2255921 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 6370407 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 379021 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 22292 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 295290 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 317582 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 61439 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 2131 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 63570 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 34925 <NET-INCOME> 28645 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 3626 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 25019 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 42500 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 31963 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 164713 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0