<TABLE> <S> <C>


<ARTICLE>                                          UT
<LEGEND>
This schedule  contains  summary  financial  information  extracted from CMP
Group, Inc. Consolidated  Statement of Earnings,  Consolidated Balance
Sheet and Consolidated  Statement of Cash Flows and is qualified in its entirety
by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                                          1,000
<CURRENCY>                                         U.S. Dollars

<S>                                                <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                      12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                  DEC-31-1999
<PERIOD-START>                                     JAN-1-1999
<PERIOD-END>                                       DEC-31-1999
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                    1
<BOOK-VALUE>                                       Per-Book
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                       $819,759
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                      $51,059
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                          $309,618
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                        $823,752
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                   $43,072
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                                $2,047,260
<COMMON>                                                        $161,571
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                       $284,330
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                              $97,038
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                                  $542,939
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                               $910
<PREFERRED>                                                      $35,528
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                             $91,502
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                                  $199
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                             $0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                        $0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                    $61,183
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                         $9,000
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                      $31,040
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                  $1,754
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                                $1,273,205
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                                 $2,047,260
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                       $992,656
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                             $54,092
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                      $860,441
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                      $860,441
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                         $132,215
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                               $33,517
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                  $111,640
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                         $53,471
<NET-INCOME>                                                     $58,169
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                       $3,315
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                    $54,854
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                         $29,198
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                         $3,079
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                          $111,614
<EPS-BASIC>                                                         1.69
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                       1.68


</TABLE>