<ARTICLE>                     UT
<MULTIPLIER>                  1000
<CURRENCY>                    U.S. DOLLARS
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-30-1998
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                      1
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                    4,687,675
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    186,342
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         514,007
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     1,064,409
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               6,452,433
<COMMON>                                       178,162
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                    1,143,617
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            610,535
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               1,932,314
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                            9,401
<PREFERRED>                                    123,795
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         1,871,949
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                 115,350
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  154,220
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               2,245,404
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                6,452,433
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    1,562,872
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           162,808
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   1,100,145
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   1,262,953
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        299,919
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                              19,179
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 319,098
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       101,786
<NET-INCOME>                                   217,312
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                      7,660
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  209,652
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       127,500
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       87,558
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         466,968
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0