<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE>                                                                  UT
<LEGEND>
This  Schedule  contains  summary  financial   information  extracted  from  the
Statement of Income, Balance Sheet and Statement of Cash Flows, and is qualified
in its entirety by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>

<MULTIPLIER>                                                              1000


<S>                                                                <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                                             9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                                   DEC-31-2000
<PERIOD-START>                                                       JAN-1-2000
<PERIOD-END>                                                       SEP-30-2000

<BOOK-VALUE>                                                          PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                            3,282,613
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                          1,156,697
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                               1,356,561
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                             1,029,093
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                         427,557
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                       7,252,521
<COMMON>                                                                 1,346
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                            2,283,461
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                                    475,182
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                       2,759,989
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                        0
<PREFERRED>                                                             84,323
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                                 2,120,752
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                           0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                                    0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                         382,090
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                                0
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                                    0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                                  0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                             0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                       1,905,367
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                        7,252,521
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                            3,211,338
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                                   170,858
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                           2,689,230
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                           2,860,088
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                                351,250
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                       9,096
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                         360,346
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                               120,106
<NET-INCOME>                                                           240,240
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                             16,453
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                          223,787
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                               179,049
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                               97,141
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                                 467,200
<EPS-BASIC>                                                                1.67
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                              1.67


</TABLE>