<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>                                          JUL-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                            SEP-30-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                            PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                        6,344,449
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                        574,401
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                           1,930,706
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                           970,767
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                     478,472
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                  10,298,795
<COMMON>                                                             1,587
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                        1,595,237
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                                944,407
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                   2,541,231
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                                    0
<PREFERRED>                                                         92,640
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                             2,604,467
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                 903,700
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                                0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                           0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                      136,000
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                                0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                              0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                         0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                   4,020,757
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                   10,298,795
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                        5,876,294
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                               117,187
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                       5,309,865
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                       5,427,052
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                            449,242
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                                  61,830
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                     511,072
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                           243,587
<NET-INCOME>                                                       267,485
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                          6,517
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                      260,968
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                           284,703
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                          183,849
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                             724,008
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                         1.65
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                         1.65
                                                         

</TABLE>