<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>                                             576,566 
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                                  396,916 
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                              1,103,435 
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                                0 
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                        6,745,608 
<COMMON>                                                              1,553,453 
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                                     0 
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                                     479,315 
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                        2,032,768 
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                    19,110 
<PREFERRED>                                                             141,317 
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                                  2,283,235 
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                            0 
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                                     0 
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                           81,000 
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                             8,313 
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                                     0 
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                                   0 
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                              0 
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                        1,700,550 
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                         6,745,608 
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                               414,584 
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                                     22,966 
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                              249,830 
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                              323,747 
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                                  90,837 
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                      (36,785)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                                0 
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                                 38,266 
<NET-INCOME>                                                             31,086 
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                   0 
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                            31,086 
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                 25,436 
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                                30,028 
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                                  208,802 
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                              0.37 
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                              0.36