<ARTICLE> UT
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
<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>                    582,280
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         571,615
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                     1,069,942
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               6,911,512
<COMMON>                                     1,552,128
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                            0
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            604,718
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>               2,156,846
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                            9,401
<PREFERRED>                                    123,795
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                         2,054,473
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                 115,350
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                  158,077
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>               2,293,570
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                6,911,512
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                    1,644,225
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           140,148
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     756,744
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                   1,178,945
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        465,280
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                           (117,768)
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                       0
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       113,148
<NET-INCOME>                                   207,364
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  207,364
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        76,311
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       87,558
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         514,695
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     2.45
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     2.43