<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE>                                                       UT
<LEGEND>
THIS  SCHEDULE  CONTAINS  SUMMARY  FINANCIAL   INFORMATION  EXTRACTED  FROM  THE
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS,  CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME AND CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS  OF CASH FLOWS AND IS  QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                                            1,000
       
<S>                                                                           <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                                                 YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                                             DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                                                                MAR-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                                                  JUN-30-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                                                    3,737,057
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                                                          0
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                                                         437,463
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                                                       680,350
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                                                  90,118
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                                               4,944,988
<COMMON>                                                                                       762,136
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                                                      534,668
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                                                            311,895
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                                               1,608,699
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                                                0
<PREFERRED>                                                                                     20,735
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                                                         1,219,487
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                                             225,362
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                                                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                                                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                                                  110,000
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                                                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                                                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                                               1,760,705
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                                                4,944,988
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                                                      590,112
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                                                             8,806
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                                                     546,926
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                                                     555,732
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                                                         34,380
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                                               3,479
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                                                  37,859
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                                                        25,173
<NET-INCOME>                                                                                    12,686
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                                        215
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                                                   12,471
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                                                             0
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                                                       24,415
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                                                         246,499
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                                                     0.00
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                                                     0.00
        

</TABLE>