<ARTICLE>                     UT
<MULTIPLIER>                  1,000
<CURRENCY>                    U.S. Dollars
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                                    DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                                                       JAN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                                         MAR-31-1998
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                                                1
<BOOK-VALUE>                                                            PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                              4,668,691
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                              167,243
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                                   301,806
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                               1,103,377
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                         6,241,117
<COMMON>                                                                 178,162
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                              1,142,499
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                                      472,853
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                         1,793,514
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                     19,110
<PREFERRED>                                                              141,317
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                                   2,019,248
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                             0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                                      0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                            81,000
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                              4,068
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                                      0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                                    0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                               0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                         2,182,860
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                          6,241,117
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                                380,423
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                                      24,464
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                               292,418
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                               316,882
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                                   63,541
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                         2,059
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                            65,600
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                                  33,665
<NET-INCOME>                                                              31,935
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                2,878
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                             29,057
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                  85,000
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                                 30,028
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                                   205,088
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                                  0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                                  0