<ARTICLE> UT EXHIBIT 27 <LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE COMPANY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS INCLUDED IN ITS FORM 10-Q FOR THE QUARTER ENDED JUNE 30, 1998 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> 3,904,673 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 123,500 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 385,512 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 0 <OTHER-ASSETS> 559,374 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 4,973,059 <COMMON> 640 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 1,099,159 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 624,936 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 1,724,735 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 25,000 <PREFERRED> 104,440 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 1,459,113 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 0 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 70,000 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 7,321 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 30,000 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 1,552,450 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 4,973,059 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 1,167,644 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 71,096 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 147,166 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 920,698 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 246,946 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> (4,873) <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 0 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 60,924 <NET-INCOME> 105,524 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 4,529 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 0 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 49,432 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 295,788 <EPS-PRIMARY> 1.61 <EPS-DILUTED> 1.61