<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>                                            1,201,749
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                                  0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                                 294,141
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                               220,291
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                               0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                       1,716,181
<COMMON>                                                                     0
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                              657,862
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                                     18,471
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                         676,333
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                        0
<PREFERRED>                                                                  0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                                    575,904
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                           0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                                    0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                               0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                                0
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                                    0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                                  0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                             0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                         463,944
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                        1,716,181
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                              512,470
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                                    11,437
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                             441,790
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                             453,227
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                                 59,243
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                       2,245
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                          61,488
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                                38,228
<NET-INCOME>                                                            23,260
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                  0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                           23,260
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                     0
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                               38,228
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                                 103,458
<EPS-BASIC>                                                                  0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                                0


</TABLE>