<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 JUNE 30, 1997
                                                                SIX MONTHS ENDED
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1000
<CURRENCY>                                     U.S. DOLLARS
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                                    DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                                       JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                                         JUN-30-1997
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                                                1
<BOOK-VALUE>                                                            PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                                4669933
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                               142295
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                                    367970
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                                 1218332
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                           6398530
<COMMON>                                                                  178162       
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                                1092082
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                                       423925
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                           1694169
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                      29110
<PREFERRED>                                                               143493
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                                     1963960
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                             0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                                      0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                            198000
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                             103921
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                                      0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                                    0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                               0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                           2265877
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                            6398530
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                                 837772
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                                       71871
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                                604756
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                                676627
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                                   161145
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                          7771
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                            168916
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                                   70778
<NET-INCOME>                                                               98138
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                 6821
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                              91317
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                  127500
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                                  63731
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                                    253658
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                                  0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                                  0