<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM (A) BALANCE SHEETS AND INCOME STATEMENTS FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 1997 AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH (B) FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FILED HEREWITH. </LEGEND> <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1997 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1997 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 359,342 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 774 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 37,605 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 28,167 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 425,888 <COMMON> 22,394 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 74,937 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 49,418 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 146,749 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 480 <PREFERRED> 1,600 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 109,033 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 12,500 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 63 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 40 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 608 <LEASES-CURRENT> 379 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 154,436 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 425,888 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 32,206 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 1,105 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 27,363 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 28,468 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 3,738 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 44 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 3,782 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 2,470 <NET-INCOME> 1,312 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 23 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 1,289 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 2,777 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 3,309 <EPS-PRIMARY> .14 <EPS-DILUTED> .14