<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> THIS SECTION OF THE SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. </LEGEND> <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-2000 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-2000 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 1,036,500 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 0 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 38,001 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 46,029 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,120,530 <COMMON> 85,474 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 192,717 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 63,921 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 342,112 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 436,698 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 63,886 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 31,000 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 15,266 <LEASES-CURRENT> 512 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 231,056 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 1,120,530 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 56,686 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 8,570 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 24,278 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 32,848 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 23,838 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 189 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 24,027 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 10,387 <NET-INCOME> 13,640 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 13,640 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 7,322 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 37,543 <EPS-BASIC> 13,640 <EPS-DILUTED> 13,640