<ARTICLE>                       UT
<MULTIPLIER>                    1,000
<CURRENCY>                      U.S. Dollars
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                                    DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                                       JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                                         SEP-30-1997
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                                                1
<BOOK-VALUE>                                                            PER-BOOK 
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                             $4,672,384
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                              156,099
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                                   482,878
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                               1,183,630
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                         6,494,991
<COMMON>                                                                 178,162
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                              1,092,182
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                                      550,641
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                         1,820,985
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                     29,110
<PREFERRED>                                                              142,927
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                                   1,970,262
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                             0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                                      0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                           117,750
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                            103,921
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                                      0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                                    0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                               0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                         2,310,036
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                          6,494,991
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                              1,470,593
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                                     164,066
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                               994,490
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                             1,158,556
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                                  312,037
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                        22,268
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                           334,305
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                                 106,468
<NET-INCOME>                                                             227,837
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                9,805
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                            218,032
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                 127,500
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                                 95,031
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                                   501,934
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                                  0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                                  0