<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> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-2000 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-2000 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 1,023,000 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 0 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 36,474 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 45,198 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,104,672 <COMMON> 85,474 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 192,717 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 93,589 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 371,780 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 436,753 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 28,867 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 0 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 14,996 <LEASES-CURRENT> 533 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 251,743 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 1,104,672 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 175,171 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 27,403 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 74,433 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 101,836 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 73,335 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 132 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 73,467 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 30,159 <NET-INCOME> 43,308 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 43,308 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 22,047 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 110,175 <EPS-BASIC> 43,308 <EPS-DILUTED> 43,308