<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> 6-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998 <PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1998 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 1,050,397 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 0 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 38,079 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 48,545 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,137,021 <COMMON> 85,474 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 192,717 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 68,734 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 346,925 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 467,504 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 112,759 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 0 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 16,127 <LEASES-CURRENT> 437 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 193,269 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 1,137,021 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 118,108 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 19,294 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 47,252 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 66,546 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 51,562 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 251 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 51,813 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 21,615 <NET-INCOME> 30,198 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 30,198 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 115,000 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 14,604 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 58,082 <EPS-PRIMARY> 30,198 <EPS-DILUTED> 30,198