<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-31-1999 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1999 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1999 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 1,057,650 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 0 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 37,872 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 46,876 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 1,142,398 <COMMON> 85,474 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 192,717 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 66,927 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 345,118 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 467,587 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 95,310 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 0 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 15,777 <LEASES-CURRENT> 464 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 218,142 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 1,142,398 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 57,636 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 8,097 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 26,405 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 34,502 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 23,134 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 223 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 23,357 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 10,248 <NET-INCOME> 13,109 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 13,109 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 15,000 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 7,262 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 35,611 <EPS-PRIMARY> 13,109 <EPS-DILUTED> 13,109